Montgomery County, VA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Section 10-21's building requirements set the A-1 Agricultural District's maximum height at 40 feet, with an exception for structures exempted under section 10-2(5)(b), the chapter's exemption for antennas under 75 feet, cupolas, barns, silos, farm buildings, chimneys, flagpoles, water tanks, monuments and similar mechanical appurtenances not taller than their distance to the nearest lot line. Going above 40 feet outside that exemption requires a special use permit from the board of supervisors, and the ordinance ties the extra height to extra setback: for every foot above 40 feet, the building must be set back an additional 2 feet, up to a maximum required setback of 100 feet.

The district's special-use-permit list separately names 'structures over forty (40) feet in height' as a use requiring board approval, so a tall barn-style building outside the farm exemption, a communications structure or another oversized building has to clear that review before construction. The 40-foot base limit and its setback trade-off apply on top of the district's standard 40-foot front and rear yards and 15-foot side yards.