AR-1 · Agricultural Residential District
AR-1 zoning in Sussex County, Delaware
AR-1 is Sussex County's Agricultural Residential District. The standard minimum lot is 32,670 square feet with a septic system and 20,000 square feet with central sewer, and lots must be at least 100 feet wide. The code allows farms and single-family homes and caps building height at 42 feet.
Purpose
The district protects agricultural land, which the code calls a valuable natural resource, and allows low-density single-family homes with compatible churches and recreation. It aims to stop the "untimely scattering of more-dense urban uses." § 115-19
Permitted uses
Single-family detached homes are allowed, as are farms, truck gardens, orchards and nurseries on parcels under five acres. Parcels of five acres or more can run full agricultural operations, including field crops, livestock, poultry and aquaculture, plus farm buildings and farm-product sales. Churches, parks and forests, unlit golf courses, private recreation on two or more acres, one accessory dwelling unit and Sussex County Rental Program developments are also listed. Cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and testing facilities are permitted. §§ 115-20, 115-21
Conditional or special uses
Conditional uses need Article XXIV review. They include agricultural-related industry, airports and heliports, marinas, cemeteries, extraction operations, hospitals and care facilities, institutions such as schools and museums, multifamily and townhouse projects, manufactured home parks, campgrounds, private clubs, public and utility facilities, recreation facilities, racetracks and arenas, and special events beyond the administrative limit. § 115-22
Lot and building rules
| Rule | Requirement | Code section |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum lot area, septic, standard lot | 32,670 sq ft | § 115-25A(1) |
| Minimum lot area, central sewer, standard lot | 20,000 sq ft (in the Coastal Area, Development Districts and Town Center Districts the overlay ordinance sets the minimum lot size) | § 115-25B(1) |
| Minimum lot width | 100 ft; 150 ft where the lot fronts a numbered road shown on the General Highway Map | § 115-25A(1), § 115-25B(1) |
| Minimum lot depth | 100 ft | § 115-25A(1) |
| Cluster option, septic | Lots may drop to 21,780 sq ft (one-half acre) where DNREC approves the soils; lot count cannot exceed the standard option | § 115-25A(2) |
| Cluster option, central sewer | Minimum tract 10 acres, minimum lot 7,500 sq ft, required open space 30% | § 115-25B(2) |
| Yards, standard lots | Front 40 ft (the code prints this as 40 (30)), side 15 ft, rear 20 ft | § 115-25C |
| Yards, cluster with central sewer | Front 25 ft, side 10 ft, rear 10 ft, minimum lot width 60 ft | § 115-25C |
| Maximum height | 42 ft | § 115-25D |
Each value links to the Article IV page on eCode360. Where the code shows a front yard as 40 (30), this page reports the code's own notation. The explanatory district table (Table I, § 115-156A) is a PDF attachment that this summary did not read, so ask Planning and Zoning what the 30 figure means for your lot. Lot-size figures assume the standard option unless a row says otherwise.
What this means for a parcel owner
If your parcel is in AR-1, the lot-size minimum depends on how it is served: 32,670 square feet on septic or 20,000 on central sewer. A parcel on a numbered state road needs 150 feet of width, and cluster options or Coastal Area overlays can change the lot size. Confirm your district on the county zoning map before you plan a split or a build.
Official text
Read the district's own article: Article IV, §§ 115-19 to 115-27, Sussex County Code Chapter 115 on eCode360. The county zoning map shows which district a parcel is in: Sussex County online map.
Summary as of 2026-10-24; the code controls.