Building Setbacks & Zoning in Frederick County, VA (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Frederick County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
In the Rural Areas (RA) District, which covers most of Frederick County outside Winchester, Stephens City and Middletown, Table IV-2 of the Zoning Ordinance sets a 60-foot front setback for a house, 50 to 200 feet on the side and rear depending on the adjoining parcel size, and just 15 feet for accessory structures on the side and rear.
Frederick County VA Rural Areas Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsFrederick County Code § 165-404.01 (Table IV-2)
Table IV-2: RA Rural Areas District Standards ... Minimum Required Setbacks Front Principal structures 60 feet Accessory structures, if ROW is public 60 feet Accessory structures, if ROW or easement is private 45 feet Side and Rear Principal structures Adjoining Parcel Size 6 acres or less 50 feet More than 6 acres 100 feet More than 6 acres in Agricultural and Forest Districts (AFD); Orchard 2...
Structure Height Limits
Outside Winchester, Stephens City and Middletown, the Frederick County Zoning Ordinance caps structure height by district: the Rural Areas (RA) District tops out at 35 feet for every structure, and no structure anywhere in the county may exceed the height limitation set for its zoning district. Barns, silos, chimneys, flagpoles and several other narrow categories are exempt, but only if they stay unoccupied by people.
Frederick County VA Residential Height Limits
Some RestrictionsFrederick County Code §§ 165-403.03, 165-404.01 (Table IV-2)
General. No structure shall exceed the height limitations described in this article. ... The maximum height requirements shall not apply to the following: (a) Barns and silos; ... Table IV-2: RA Rural Areas District Standards ... Maximum ... Height All structures 35 feet
Lot Coverage Limits
In the Residential Performance (RP) District outside Winchester, Stephens City and Middletown, Table IV-5 of the Zoning Ordinance caps the site's impervious surface at 0.60, or 60 percent of the lot, for garden apartments, multifamily residential buildings and age-restricted multifamily housing.
Frederick County VA Multifamily Impervious Cap
Some RestrictionsFrederick County Code § 165-405.01 (Table IV-5)
Table IV-5: RP Residential Performance District Standards - Residential Uses, Multi-Family Development Garden Apartment Multifamily Residential Buildings Age-Restricted Multifamily Housing ... Maximum Site Impervious Surface Ratio 0.60 0.60 0.60
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