Loudoun County AR-2 Zoning: Complete Guide for Landowners (2026)

<h2 class="aeo-answer-block">What is AR-2 zoning in Loudoun County?</h2>

<p>AR-2 (Agricultural Rural-2) is one of Loudoun County, Virginia's primary rural zoning districts. It is designed to protect agricultural land and the rural economy while permitting low-density residential, agritourism, and limited commercial uses tied to the land — including by-right Limited Brewery use under Loudoun Zoning Ordinance §4.08.05 and a range of agritourism uses under Virginia Code §3.2-6400.</p>

<h2>AR-2 by the numbers</h2>

<ul>

<li><strong>Minimum lot size:</strong> 20 acres (with cluster option down to 5 acres for protected open space)</li>

<li><strong>Front setback:</strong> 75 ft from right-of-way</li>

<li><strong>Side/rear setbacks:</strong> 50 ft typical (verify on parcel)</li>

<li><strong>Max building height:</strong> 40 ft</li>

<li><strong>By-right uses:</strong> single-family dwelling, agriculture, agritourism, Limited Brewery / Farm Brewery, Farm Winery, Limited Distillery</li>

</ul>

<h2>What you can build by-right on AR-2</h2>

<p>The core advantage of AR-2 is breadth of by-right (no special exception required) uses. For estate landowners, that includes the single-family residence and accessory structures. For agritourism operators — wineries, breweries, farm-to-table venues — it includes Limited Brewery, Farm Winery, and event-related uses tied to on-site agricultural production.</p>

<h2>The AR-2 agritourism overlay</h2>

<p>Virginia Code §3.2-6400 (the Virginia Agritourism Act) layers on top of AR-2 to limit local regulation of bona fide agritourism activity. This is what makes AR-2 the right zoning class for ground-up brewery and winery campuses in Loudoun. See <a href="/knowledge/agritourism-virginia">Agritourism in Virginia</a> for the full statutory breakdown.</p>

<h2 class="aeo-answer-block">Common AR-2 mistakes that delay projects</h2>

<ul>

<li><strong>Assuming setbacks before survey.</strong> AR-2 setbacks interact with septic reserve area and resource protection zones. Order the survey first.</li>

<li><strong>Skipping pre-application meeting with Loudoun DBD.</strong> Limited Brewery and agritourism uses benefit from a recorded pre-application alignment.</li>

<li><strong>Designing the building before confirming well/septic.</strong> AR-2 sites with marginal perc test results force redesign.</li>

<li><strong>Missing the Resource Management Plan (RMP) requirement</strong> on parcels with steep slopes or floodplain.</li>

</ul>

<h2>Proof case: Lark Brewing Co. on AR-2</h2>

<p>Hearthstone Design Build delivered <a href="/portfolio/lark-brewing-brewery-loudoun-va">Lark Brewing Co.</a> in Aldie under AR-2 zoning — a 14-acre ground-up brewery campus with taproom, heavy timber pergola, and outdoor venue. The project opened ahead of its original schedule through tight pre-application coordination with Loudoun County. It is a referenceable AR-2 Limited Brewery proof case.</p>

<h2>Next steps for AR-2 landowners</h2>

<p>If you own AR-2 land in Loudoun County and are evaluating a build, the highest-leverage first step is a <a href="/zoning-strategy-session">zoning strategy session</a> — confirm by-right use, setbacks, and septic before committing to architecture. From there, our <a href="/services/design-build">design-build process</a> takes the project from feasibility through certificate of occupancy under a single contract.</p>