James City County, VA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)

Section 24-375 sets a direct numeric ceiling on development intensity in the Limited Business District, LB: building coverage cannot exceed 30 percent of the total lot area, and the floor area ratio, the ratio of total building floor space to lot area, cannot exceed 40 percent. These limits work alongside the district's other standards: section 24-371 requires structures to sit 50 feet or more from a street right-of-way of 50 feet or greater in width (or 75 feet from the centerline of a narrower right-of-way, though the planning director can approve a reduction to 25 or 50 feet under specific conditions), section 24-372 sets minimum side and rear yards of 20 feet that grow to 35 or 50 feet next to residential property, and section 24-374 caps most structures at 35 feet in height, with certain accessory features like spires and chimneys allowed to 60 feet and a Board of Supervisors waiver available up to 100 feet.

Section 24-377 separately bars any outdoor storage of materials, supplies or goods for sale in the LB district, reinforcing the coverage cap's purpose of keeping development compact and screened rather than sprawling across the lot. Community Development's Planning Division applies the 30 percent coverage and 40 percent floor area ratio limits at site plan review before any building permit issues for LB-zoned property.