Statement of Intent

This district is established for the purpose of accommodating all types of rural, open land uses such as agriculture and forestry, along with kindred rural occupations. The basic aim is to promote farming as a continuing way of life in Madison County. The agricultural area should maintain a low development density allowing farm and local estate residences. Intensive suburban growth is less feasible. The permitted uses are broad enough to allow expanded residential uses in pre-planned and staged locations recognizing future trends of orderly growth, and at the same time discouraging random scattering of such uses throughout the district.

In addition to the zoning ordinances, uses in this zone may be subject to the requirements of Madison County's Subdivision Ordinance, Site Plan Ordinance, and/or Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance, and/or Floodplain Management Ordinance.

4-1.

Use Regulations.

In the Agricultural District, A-1, no building shall be erected or altered and no building or premises shall be used for any purpose except the following:

Uses Permitted by Right

4-1-1.

Same as Conservation, C-1.

4-1-2.

Processing of farm and food products with wholesale sales.

4-2.

Special Permit Uses. The following uses may also be permitted subject to securing a special use permit as provided in Article 14-3:

4-2-1.

Same as Conservation, C-1 plus.

4-2-2.

Hospital, clinic, and nursing home.

4-2-3.

Dinner theater.

4-2-4.

Reserved.

4-2-5.

Storage of explosives incidental to farm or construction activity.

4-2-6.

Commercial greenhouse and plant nursery.

4-2-7.

Commercial warehouse for bulk agricultural produce.

4-2-8.

Welding and Blacksmith shop.

4-2-9.

Small or medium alcohol fuel plants (See 20-8A and 20-8B for definition).

4-2-10.

Furniture, cabinet, woodworking, or wood assembly shop under cover.

4-2-11.

Small engine repair shop.

4-2-12.

Automobile repair shop.

4-2-13.

Bulk fertilizer blending, storage, and sales.

4-2-14.

Farm supply sales, exclusive of new farm machinery.

4-2-15.

Livestock market.

4-2-16.

Mulch Production Facility.

4-2-17.

Professional office (limited).

4-2-18.

Two family dwelling (duplex) (limited).

4-2-19.

Group home, child.

4-2-20.

Processing of farm and food products with retail sales.

4-2-21.

Farmers market.

4-2-22.

Commercial slaughterhouse.

4-2-23.

Auction establishment.

4-2-24.

Event venue.

4-2-25.

Rural resort.

(Ord. of 8-11-1994, § 1; Ord. of 3-18-1998, § 1; Ord. No. 2019-7, 5-1-2019; Ord. No. 2019-10, 8-7-2019)

4-3.

Area Regulations.

The minimum lot area for permitted uses shall be three acres. All dwellings located on a single parcel shall require a minimum of three acres per dwelling.

(Ord. No. 2020-8, 3-4-2020; Ord. No. 2023-2, 5-23-2023)

4-4.

Setback Regulations.

4-4-1.

Structures shall be located 50 feet or more from any street right-of-way which is 50 feet or greater in width, or 100 feet or more from the center line of any street right-of-way less than 50 feet in width.

4-4-2.

All buildings must be located at or beyond the front setback line. All accessory buildings must be located ten feet or more from a side or rear property line.

(Ord. No. 2011-4, § 1, 4-12-2011)

4-5.

Lot Width Requirements.

The minimum frontage for permitted uses shall be 250 feet at the setback line, or measured at the location of the foundation of the subject parcel's principal dwelling or accessory building. The minimum distance which the building is required to be located from the street right-of-way or center line shall be known as the setback line.

(Ord. No. 2020-9, 3-4-2020)

4-6.

Yard Regulations.

4-6-1.

Side. Each main structure shall have side yards of 25 feet or more.

4-6-2.

Rear. Each main structure shall have a rear yard of 50 feet or more.

4-7.

Sign Regulations.

Signs shall conform to Article 12 of this ordinance.

4-8.

Height Regulations.

The height regulations for the Agricultural, A-1 District shall conform to the height regulations for the Residential Limited, R-1 District, as detailed in section 5-8. All agricultural uses are exempt from height restrictions.

4-9.

Off-street Parking.

Off-street parking is subject to section 14-9 of this ordinance.

4-10.

Entrance Regulations.

4-10-1.

The centerline of any entrance onto a Virginia primary road shall be 600 feet or more from the centerline of any adjacent entrance; provided, however, each parcel of land that fronts on a Virginia primary road and is recorded in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Madison County prior to June 20, 1990, shall be permitted to have at least one such entrance; and provided further that the aforesaid distance between entrances may be decreased to a point of nearest relief upon application by special use permit if the Board of Supervisors after recommendation from the Planning Commission and approval of the Virginia Department of Transportation finds that exceptional topographical conditions such as rock formations or floodplain areas justify such decrease.

Each application for a special use permit under this paragraph shall include a plat of survey showing both the 600 foot entrance point and the point of nearest relief. After approval, said plat of survey shall be recorded by the applicant in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Madison County.

4-10-2.

The centerline of any entrance onto U. S. Route 29 shall be 900 feet or more from the centerline of any adjacent entrance; provided, however, each parcel of land that fronts on U. S. Route 29 and is recorded in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Madison County prior to June 20, 1990, shall be permitted to have at least one such entrance; and provided further that the aforesaid distance between entrances may be decreased to a point of nearest relief upon application by special use permit if the Board of Supervisors after recommendation from the Planning Commission and approval of the Virginia Department of Transportation finds that exceptional topographical conditions such as rock formations or floodplain areas justify such decrease.

Each application for a special use permit under this paragraph shall include a plat of survey showing both the 900 foot entrance point and the point of nearest relief. After approval, said plat of survey shall be recorded by the applicant in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Madison County.

Entrances shall be located at crossover points on U. S. Route 29 if feasible and required by the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The aforesaid entrance regulation shall not apply to U.S. Route 29 Business.

4-11.

Limitations of Subdivisions in Agricultural, A-1 Districts. No lot, tract or parcel of land in the Agricultural, A-1 District shall be subdivided into more than four smaller lots, tracts or parcels of land (including the residue, if any) within any ten-year period. Except as provided above, no lot, tract or parcel of land in the Agricultural, A-1 District created by subdivision in accordance herewith shall be further subdivided within ten years from the date the subdivision plat is recorded in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Madison County, Virginia. A lot, tract or parcel of land altered by a boundary line adjustment in the Agricultural, A1, District shall not be approved for another boundary line adjustment for one year from the date the plat and deed are recorded in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Madison County, Virginia.

(Ord. No. 2024-SOA-07-03-04, 8-7-2024)