Loudoun County, VA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 9.01
- Density bonus
- Up to 20% above base density
- SFD/SFA ADU set-aside
- Minimum 15% of units
- MFA/MFS ADU set-aside
- Minimum 10% of units
- Trigger threshold
- 24+ dwelling units, public water/sewer
- Income ranges
- 30-50% AMI rent; 30-70% AMI purchase
Summary
Loudoun County lets developers build up to 20% more units than base zoning allows if they provide Affordable Dwelling Units (ADUs) for moderate-income buyers and renters. The optional bonus applies in the unincorporated county under Zoning Ordinance Section 9.01, adopted under Va. Code § 15.2-2304.
Optional Density Increase. When a development provides the applicable number of ADUs required by Sections 9.01.C.1 and/or 9.01.C.2, the development, at the discretion of the owner, is permitted an optional 20% maximum density increase as provided in Table 9.01-2. ... Determine the base density by multiplying the maximum permitted density (dwelling units per acre or FAR) by the area of the development; Determine the maximum density permitted with the optional density increase by multiplying the base density by 20% and adding the result to the base density; and For density in dwelling units per acre, when the calculation results in a fraction or decimal, round down to the nearest whole number to determine the maximum number of dwelling units permitted.
Full Breakdown
2-2304, applying to any subject property served by public water and sewer involved in a Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception, Site Plan, Subdivision, or Preliminary Subdivision application that will yield 24 or more dwelling units. Single-family detached and attached developments must set aside a minimum 15% of total units as ADUs; multifamily stacked and attached developments must set aside a minimum 10%. 3 grants an optional density increase of up to 20% above the base permitted density or floor area ratio: the base density is multiplied by 20% and the result added to the base, with fractional dwelling-unit counts rounded down.
b lets the Board of Supervisors treat the General Plan cap itself as increased up to 20% for approval purposes. 5), and the 20% bonus raises the total to 108 units. 03. An owner's written commitment to meet the ADU Program on a phased development yielding fewer than 24 units individually must be recorded among the county land records and shown on every Concept Development Plan, Special Exception Plat, Site Plan, and Subdivision Plat for the project.
Violations & Fines
The density bonus itself is not something a developer can be cited for; it is an optional election tied to meeting the ADU set-aside. Failing to actually construct or convey the required ADUs, or building units at income levels outside the Table 9.01-1 ranges (30-50% AMI for rent, 30-70% AMI for purchase), breaches the recorded ADU agreement and Chapter 1450 of the Codified Ordinances, exposing the developer to enforcement through the plat/plan approval and recordation process rather than a simple fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every Loudoun County project qualify for the density bonus?
How much extra density can a developer get?
What income levels qualify as Affordable Dwelling Units?
Are any buildings exempt from the ADU requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Loudoun County
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