9454 Westerhouse Rd, Machipongo, VA 23405

Agriculture/Rural Business District

The intent of this District is: To preserve the prime agricultural soils of the county; To maintain the rural character of the county and its agricultural activities.; To provide an area in which the agricultural and forestry land use activities of the county may freely practice the Right to Farm as set forth in VA Code 3.2, as amended, including the right to till the soil, plant, grow, and harvest crops, livestock and timber, with the attendant noise, dust, odor, and chemical applications, including the authorized consideration of their impacts on the health, safety or general welfare of the public, and provided that such activities are consistent with accepted agricultural and silvicultural practices; To provide for farm agritourism activities on agricultural operations, in an agriculturally classified district, as defined in VA Code 3.2-6400, involving activities or events that are usual and customary at Virginia agricultural operations and, also including the authorized consideration of their impacts on the health, safety or general welfare of the public.; To recognize that there currently exist established low density, settled rural residential neighborhoods in the District, and to provide for low density, rural housing compatible in aspect, design and form with the rural, agricultural quality of the District and arranged to minimize impact upon agricultural activities and to maximize open space which may be used for agriculture and forestry.