§ 31-14. A-1 Agricultural District.

(a)

Purpose of the district: This district is intended to preserve the character of that portion of the city where agricultural and other low intensity uses predominate while preventing the untimely scattering of more intense urban uses which should be confined to areas planned for efficient extension of public services. To achieve this end, it is necessary to maintain a low density development pattern while excluding most commercial and industrial type uses.

(b)

Permitted uses: A building or land shall be used only for the following purposes:

(1)

Agriculture, including horticultural, chemical, or general farming, cultivation of field crops, orchards, groves or nurseries, dairy farming, and the raising and keeping of livestock, provided that the commercial slaughtering and processing of animals shall not be conducted on the premises.

(2)

Churches and other places of worship, but not including temporary revival tents.

(3)

Detached single-family dwellings.

(4)

Facilities and structures necessary for rendering utility service, including poles, wires, transformers, telephone booths, and the like for normal electrical power distribution or communication service, and pipelines or conduits for electrical, gas, sewer, or water service.

(5)

Greenhouses or nurseries, commercial, retail, or wholesale.

(6)

Public and private forests, wildlife reservations, and similar conservation projects.

(7)

Residential human care facilities, as defined and regulated by section 15.1-486.2 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended.

(8)

Stable, public, commercial or private, provided that any buildings for keeping of animals shall be located at least two hundred (200) feet from any side or rear lot lines, and that there shall be housed on the premises no more than one (1) horse or pony for each acre of land.

(c)

Permitted accessory uses: Accessory uses customarily incidental to a permitted principal or conditional use on the same lot therewith, including:

(1)

Accessory farm buildings, including barns, stables, sheds, tool rooms, shops, bins, tanks, and silos.

(2)

Dog kennels, noncommercial, provided any open pens, runs, cages, or kennels or any place for keeping more than five (5) adult dogs shall be located at least one hundred (100) feet from any side or rear lot lines.

(3)

Domestic storage in a main building or in an accessory building.

(4)

Garage, private.

(5)

Guest house for nonpaying guests.

(6)

Home occupation in a main building. (See article VI for supplementary regulations.)

(7)

Roadside stands for the sale only of products produced on the same lot.

(8)

Storage of a boat trailer, or unoccupied travel trailer (not mobile home), or a boat less than thirty-two (32) feet in length, but not in the front yard. (See article VI for supplementary regulations.)

(9)

Swimming pool and game courts for use of occupants or their guests, however, if lighted, illumination must be properly shielded from adjoining properties.

(10)

Signs, as regulated by article VI.

(11)

Temporary buildings, the uses of which are incidental to construction operations during development being conducted on the same or adjoining tract or subdivision, or for use as a sales or rental office for a real estate development or subdivision, provided that such buildings shall be removed upon completion or abandonment of such construction.

(12)

Accessory off-street parking and loading spaces.

(d)

Conditional uses: The following uses may be permitted as conditional uses if approved by the governing body in accordance with the procedures, guides, and standards of section 31-54.1:

(1)

Airports and landing fields, provided they shall comply with the regulations of the Federal Aviation Agency.

(2)

Camps, day or boarding, private or commercial.

(3)

Cemetery, including crematorium.

(4)

Convalescent homes, nursing homes, homes for the aged, hospitals, and sanitariums, but not animal hospitals.

(5)

Kennels, or animal boarding place, commercially operated.

(6)

Mobile homes, mobile home parks and subdivisions.

(7)

Nonaccessory tents for special purposes.

(8)

Private clubs, including commercially operated swimming or tennis clubs.

(9)

Public or governmental buildings and uses, including schools, fire and police stations, parks, playgrounds, and administrative buildings.

(10)

Public utilities or public service uses, buildings, generating or treatment plants, pumping or regulator stations, and substations.

(11)

Recreational facility, commercially operated, such as fishing or boating lake, golf course, or race track.

(12)

Sanitary landfill, or trash collection site.

(e)

Area regulations: Every building or group of buildings shall be located on a lot having at least the area, width, and depth as prescribed below:

		Minimum Lot Area (Acres)	Minimum Feet
			Lot Width	Lot Depth
(1)	Single-family dwelling	1	150	200
(2)	Church, temple, synagogue	3	200	200
(3)	Greenhouses, nurseries	5	300	300
(4)	Stable	4	200	200

 

(f)

Yard requirements:

			Minimum in Feet
			Front Yard	Side Yard Minimum	Side Yard Total	Rear Yard
(1)	Single-family dwelling
	a.	Street width 50 feet or greater	40	25	60	40
	b.	Street width less than 50 feet	60	25	60	40

 

See article VI, section 31-30, "Special height and yard regulations."

(2)

Other structures: Same or as required in A-1 district regulations.

(g)

Height requirements:

	Maximum Height
(1) Single-family dwellings and all other structures not specifically exempted in article VI	35 feet

 

(h)

Other applicable requirements:

(1)

Article VI: Supplementary Regulations.

(2)

Article VII: Site Plan Review Requirements.

(Ord. No. 11-1700-903, § 3, 5-24-11)

(Ord. No. 11-1700-903, § 3, 5-24-11)