0 Branch River Rd, Blue Ridge, VA 20132

Agricultural Rural-1 District

The purpose and intent of the Agricultural Rural-1 Zoning District is to: Implement the Rural North Place Type of the General Plan; Preserve and protect Prime Farmland Soils, recognizing their importance to the agricultural community and overall economic health of the rural economy; Support the use of land that protects, preserves and enhances natural areas and open space, retains farmland, and the vitality of the rural economy, and fosters a high quality of life for residents; Ensure complimentary rural economy uses, including traditional and new agricultural uses, agriculture support and basic services directly associated with on-going agricultural activities, and other uses can be developed in ways that are consistent with the rural character of and are compatible with existing residential development in the AR-1 Zoning District through mitigation or other standards; Recognize the County’s tourism industry is interconnected with the rural economy and rural economy uses in the AR-1 Zoning District by allowing for tourism uses related to agricultural uses, public, civic, and institutional uses; rural activity, and special event uses; Limit residential development to densities that will protect the land resources for agricultural operations, common open space uses, and rural economy uses; Promote consistency between residential development and rural economy uses through lower density residential development or the clustering of residential development and Ensure development incorporates natural, environmental, and heritage resources while preserving important viewsheds that contribute to the rural landscape.