Albemarle County, VA Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)

1 creates the Rural Areas (RA) zoning district to preserve agricultural and forestal lands and activities, protect water supply, limit service delivery to the rural areas, and conserve natural, scenic and historic resources. The section steers residential development that is not tied to bona fide farming toward the county's designated urban area, communities and villages, where utilities already exist, so it does not conflict with agricultural or other rural objectives; rural residents are told to expect a lower level of county service delivery than growth-area residents receive in exchange.

Most importantly for working farms, the section states that in relation to residential development, agricultural and forestal activities in the RA district shall be regulated only to the extent necessary to protect public health and safety, meaning zoning is not used to second-guess ordinary farming operations. 5 dwelling unit per acre, 75-foot front yards on existing public roads (25 feet on internal roads), 25-foot side yards, 35-foot rear yards and a 35-foot maximum structure height. 3 offers a rural preservation development option that concentrates new lots away from prime farmland.

Beyond zoning, County Code Chapter 3 lets the Board of Supervisors create, renew or terminate agricultural and forestal districts of local or statewide significance, administered by the Planning Commission with the advice of a ten-member Agricultural and Forestal Districts Advisory Committee, giving enrolled farms added protection from nonagricultural development pressure.