Chesterfield County limits how much of a lot buildings and structures may occupy through district-specific standards in its Zoning Ordinance (Ch. 19.2), using the yard and open-space authority in Virginia Code Section 15.2-2280.
Under Virginia Code Section 15.2-2280, the county may regulate the areas and dimensions of land occupied by buildings and the open spaces left unoccupied. Chesterfield County's Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 19.2) applies this through minimum lot sizes, required front, side, and rear yards, and, in some districts, explicit maximum building or impervious coverage limits that leave adequate open space. In Chesapeake Bay Resource Protection and Resource Management Areas, additional impervious-cover and buffer limits apply under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act to protect water quality. Because coverage and open-space standards differ by district and overlay, confirm the exact figures for your parcel with the Planning Department before adding structures.
Exceeding allowed coverage or reducing required open space can lead to permit denial, correction orders, or a required variance.
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Chesterfield County, VA
Backyard composting of yard and food waste is allowed in Chesterfield County and promoted as a waste-reduction practice. Compost must be kept so it does not ...
Chesterfield County, VA
Chesterfield County has no ordinance banning residential artificial turf. Synthetic lawns are generally allowed, subject to zoning, stormwater and drainage r...
Chesterfield County, VA
Chesterfield County does not require homeowners to plant native species in ordinary yards, but native and regionally appropriate plants are required for rest...
Chesterfield County, VA
Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in Chesterfield County. There is no ordinance banning rain barrels or cisterns for residential lawn and garden u...
Chesterfield County, VA
Virginia has no statewide mandatory lawn-watering ban. Chesterfield County Utilities issues conservation measures during drought; as of summer 2026 restricti...
Chesterfield County, VA
Chesterfield County Code prohibits uncontrolled weeds and grass. Occupied residential lots under one-half acre are limited to 12 inches; vacant developed and...
See how Chesterfield County's lot coverage limits rules stack up against other locations.
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