Montgomery County, VA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Montgomery County Code § 10-21
- Use category
- By-right (no special use permit)
- District
- A-1 Agricultural
- Still required
- Zoning permit for site plan compliance
- Contrast
- Commercial kennel needs special use permit
Summary
A veterinary practice or animal hospital is a by-right use in Montgomery County's A-1 Agricultural District, meaning it does not need a special use permit, only compliance with the county's standard plan, permit and performance standards under County Code § 10-21.
Uses permitted by right. The following uses are permitted by right, subject to compliance with all approved plans and permits, development and performance standards contained in this chapter, and all other applicable regulations: Agriculture. Agriculture, intensive. Agriculture, small scale. ... Veterinary practice, animal hospital.
Full Breakdown
Section 10-21's by-right use list for the A-1 Agricultural District runs alphabetically from Agriculture through Veterinary practice, animal hospital, and every use on that list is permitted outright, subject to compliance with all approved plans and permits and the development and performance standards set out elsewhere in the zoning chapter. 0-acre minimum lot, 40-foot front and rear yards, 15-foot side yards, 20 percent building coverage cap), but the board of supervisors does not have to hold a special use permit hearing to approve the use itself.
That is a materially lighter path than the special-use-permit uses in the same district, such as a commercial kennel or a livestock market, which do require board approval and carry their own use limitations, like the 500-foot distance a commercial kennel must keep from an existing dwelling other than the owner's.
Violations & Fines
A veterinary use built or expanded without meeting the site's zoning permit conditions is handled under section 10-52's enforcement track: written notice with up to 30 days to correct (longer for structural fixes), a second notice giving 7 more days, then a Class 2 misdemeanor on conviction, up to $1,000 per offense and rising to $1,500 and $2,000 for each following 10-day period of noncompliance. The zoning administrator can pursue the civil track instead, at $200 for the first summons and $500 per later summons from the same facts, capped at $5,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does opening a vet clinic in Montgomery County's rural areas require a special use permit?
What still applies to a by-right veterinary use?
Is a commercial kennel treated the same as a veterinary practice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montgomery County
Compare Montgomery County to another location·View the Virginia animal ordinances overview
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