Forsyth County Agricultural Zoning Explained: A1 and AG RES

If you own acreage in Forsyth County and have never rezoned it, there is a good chance it is zoned A1. Agricultural is the county's default zoning for land that has not yet been developed. It is where most subdivisions started, it is where most family land still sits, and it is the zoning that gives you the most freedom to actually use your property.

This is the second post in our series on Forsyth County zoning. The first covered the residential districts. This one covers the two agricultural districts, A1 and AG RES, and answers the questions we get most from landowners: how small can I split it, what can I keep on it, and what does it mean for my taxes and my land value.

Every number below comes from the current Forsyth County Unified Development Code (UDC), mainly Chapter 15 (Agricultural Districts), Chapter 16 (Supplementary Regulations for Specific Uses) and Chapter 3 (Definitions), plus the Forsyth County Board of Assessors 2026 conservation use brochure. Links are at the bottom. The code changes, so treat this as accurate as of September 2026 and confirm with Planning and Community Development before you spend money.

What the county says agricultural zoning is for

The UDC is unusually candid about A1. Section 15-1.1 says the district exists to protect farmland from "untimely and unplanned residential, commercial or industrial development" and to allow agriculture to continue "until market conditions and public services support conversion of agricultural land to rural or suburban residential land subdivisions." In other words, the county itself describes A1 as a holding pattern. Land waits in A1 until sewer and demand arrive, then it gets rezoned. That single sentence explains most of what happens to raw land in this county.

AG RES is the quieter cousin. Section 15-2.1 describes it as a district for "rural farm or very low density" development where farming and homes can coexist. It specifically does not allow "intensive agricultural uses such as hog farms and poultry houses." Subdivisions in AG RES are also exempt from the curb and gutter road standards in Chapter 18, which is one reason you see it used for large lot rural subdivisions.

Minimum lot sizes and setbacks

Table 15.2 of the UDC sets the performance standards for both districts. Here is the side by side.

Standard	A1	AG RES
Minimum lot size	1 acre	2 acres
Maximum density	1 home per acre	1 home per 2 acres
Minimum lot width	125 feet	150 feet
Front setback	50 feet	50 feet
Side setback	25 feet	25 feet
Rear setback	25 feet	25 feet
Minimum heated floor area	700 square feet	700 square feet
Minimum acreage to rezone into the district	None	None

A few things worth knowing about these numbers.

The one acre minimum in A1 is the base rule, but it does not mean you can freely carve a 20 acre tract into 20 one acre lots. The UDC treats a split of six or fewer lots with no new street as a minor subdivision, which is handled administratively by staff (Chapter 3 definition of "Subdivision, minor"). Seven or more lots, or any split that requires building a new road, is a major subdivision, and major subdivisions in A1 are only allowed if you meet the large lot requirements in Section 15-1.4(b): two acre minimum lots, one home per lot, a 2,000 square foot minimum heated home size, no manufactured homes, and compliance with the residential site design standards in Chapter 11. That is Note 8 on Table 15.1, and it is the rule that quietly stops builders from mass producing one acre A1 lots. If they want real density, they rezone.

The county sweetens the deal for people who go the two acre route. Under Section 15-1.4, a minor subdivision with lots of two acres or larger gets a reduced 40 foot front setback and does not have to connect to sewer (you do have to reserve a 50 foot sewer easement for upstream parcels). A qualifying major subdivision gets those same breaks plus no sketch plat, no tree ordinance and no internal sidewalks.

Maximum building height in both districts depends on the character area your land sits in, running from 30 to 50 feet for most of the county under Table 15.2. Buffers of 25 feet on the side and rear only apply to commercial uses, not to homes or farms.

What you can do on the land

Table 15.1 is the master list. P means permitted by right, C means you need a conditional use permit from the Board of Commissioners, and X means not allowed. Here is the plain English version of the uses landowners actually ask about.

A single family home

Permitted in both districts. In A1 you can also place a manufactured or mobile home, but Section 16-4.19 requires a minimum two acre lot for it, one per lot, with a pitched roof, no metal siding, masonry or siding skirting, and the wheels and hitch removed. Manufactured homes are not permitted in AG RES at all. Industrialized (modular) housing built to state code on a permanent foundation is permitted in A1 and not in AG RES.

A second home, guest house or in law suite

Attached accessory apartments are permitted in both districts. Detached ones require a conditional use permit in both. Either way, Section 16-4.1 and 16-4.2 cap the apartment at 1,000 square feet or the size of the main house, whichever is less, require a separate side or rear entrance, one extra parking space, and a Health Department sign off that the septic can handle it. Only one accessory apartment per lot, and you cannot combine it with a home occupation. A detached apartment counts toward density, an attached one does not.

Farming

Field crops, fruits, nuts, vegetables, nurseries and greenhouses are all permitted by right in both districts. Roadside stands selling what you grow on the property are permitted in both. Cottage food operations (selling home kitchen products under a Georgia Department of Agriculture license) are permitted in both, though not inside major subdivisions, and Section 15-5.2 caps you at five customers on site at a time.

Horses

Non commercial horse stables are permitted in both districts. Section 16-4.14 limits you to one horse per acre, and any barn, stable, pen or corral must sit at least 50 feet from every property line. Commercial stables (boarding other people's horses, lessons, shows) need a conditional use permit and are only an option in A1.

Cattle, goats, sheep and other livestock

This is the biggest difference between the two districts. "Livestock raising, not including poultry and hogs" is permitted by right in A1 and is not permitted in AG RES. The UDC's definition of livestock (Chapter 3) covers "cattle, goats, sheep, llamas and alpacas raised for profit or personal use" and specifically excludes bees, pigs, hogs, poultry and horses, which each have their own rules.

Unlike Res1, where Section 16-4.18 caps livestock at one animal per acre with a conditional use permit, the UDC puts no head count limit on livestock in A1. You still have to follow Health Department rules and keep structures inside the district setbacks, but the county is not counting your cows.

Chickens and poultry

There are two separate rules here and A1 owners get to pick.

The backyard chicken rule in Section 16-4.4 applies to any district where it is listed, including both A1 and AG RES. It allows up to eight hens on a lot of at least one half acre, no roosters, no on site slaughter, coops at least 20 feet from side and rear lines and 50 feet from a neighbor's house, and no building permit for the coop.

Section 16-4.4(m) then says A1 properties "may elect to comply" with those backyard rules, but nothing in that section limits "the keeping of poultry or placement of a poultry house" on A1 land. Poultry houses are permitted by right in A1, and the only dimensional rule in Section 16-4.27 is a 100 foot setback from any property line. So on A1 there is no eight bird cap and roosters are not banned. On AG RES you are limited to the backyard rule, and poultry houses are not permitted.

Hogs

Hog farms require a conditional use permit in A1 and are not permitted in AG RES. Pigs are excluded from the livestock definition, so a couple of feeder pigs is a gray area worth a call to Planning before you buy them.

Bees

Apiaries are permitted by right in both districts. There is no setback or hive count in Chapter 15 or 16.

Barns, sheds and outbuildings

Barns, grain storage and sheds are permitted accessory uses in both districts. In A1, Section 16-4.32 lets you put up a shed of 200 square feet or less with no building permit as long as it has no electrical, plumbing or mechanical systems and meets setbacks. Anything larger, or anything wired, needs a permit. The accessory structure size caps in Section 16-4.3 apply to residential districts, not agricultural ones.

Running a business from the property

Professional home offices (no employees, no customers) are permitted in both districts. Home occupations are more involved. Section 16-3.1(d) says a home occupation in an agricultural district normally needs a public hearing before the Planning Commission, but staff can approve it administratively if the parcel is at least five acres, zoned A1 or AG RES, and operates between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. A1 also allows group instruction (up to ten people) and year round retail sales with Planning Commission approval, which residential districts do not.

Weddings, events and agritourism

Special events (renting your property out for a wedding or a private gathering) are permitted by right in A1 and not at all in AG RES. Section 15-3.2 requires at least five acres, hours of 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., all parking on the property, and compliance with the noise ordinance. A special event facility (a venue with overnight lodging) needs a conditional use permit and is capped at two lodging units per acre. Agritourism needs a conditional use permit and a minimum of 20 acres under Section 15-4.2, with no overnight lodging. None of this is allowed in AG RES.

One caution the code itself raises in Section 15-3.2(j): if your land is in a conservation use covenant, hosting events can put that covenant at risk. More on that below.

Short term rentals

Short term rentals are only allowed in the two agricultural districts, and only with a conditional use permit under Section 16-4.33. The Board looks at occupancy, bedrooms, parking, lot size, distance to neighbors and septic capacity before approving one.

Other uses

In A1, bed and breakfast inns, campgrounds, kennels and vet clinics, farm wineries, farm supply stores, dairies, day cares, private schools and places of worship all require a conditional use permit. AG RES allows almost none of those. Build to rent is prohibited in both districts.

How A1 relates to conservation use valuation

Landowners mix these two things up constantly, so here is the clean version.

A1 is a zoning classification. It controls what you can build and do. Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) is a property tax program under O.C.G.A. § 48-5-7.4. It controls what you pay. They are administered by different offices (Planning versus the Board of Assessors), and one does not automatically come with the other. You can own A1 land with no covenant and pay full fair market value taxes. In theory you can hold a covenant on land that is not zoned A1.

In practice they travel together, because the uses that qualify for CUVA (raising crops, livestock or poultry, timber, hay, horticulture, bees) are the uses that A1 permits by right. Per the Board of Assessors, Forsyth County has roughly 750 conservation use and preferential assessment covenants in place, saving those owners about $3.8 million a year in property taxes combined.

Here is how the program works, straight from the county's 2026 brochure.

You sign a ten year covenant agreeing to keep the land in a bona fide agricultural or timber use. In exchange the land is valued on soil productivity tables published by the Georgia Department of Revenue instead of fair market value, and that value can only move 3 percent a year, or 34.39 percent over the life of the covenant. Savings are often more than half the tax bill.

There is no minimum acreage, but under 10 acres you must prove the farm is real with documents like a Schedule F, hay or cattle receipts, or a timber plan. Over 10 acres the county verifies by site inspection. If there is a house on the land, the house and its "underlying property" are excluded from the covenant. Underlying property means the minimum residential lot size under local zoning or two acres, whichever is less, so on A1 land that is one acre. You can sell or rent the house without touching the covenant.

The filing window runs January 2 through April 1 each year, with a second 45 day window after assessment notices go out. The maximum is 2,000 acres per owner statewide, and you can add up to 50 adjoining acres to an existing covenant. There is a one time $25 recording fee. Covenants do not renew automatically; the county mails a notice at least 60 days before expiration and you file again.

The part that matters for land value is the breach penalty. Breaking the covenant early, including selling the land to a developer or to any buyer who does not sign a continuance, costs twice the tax savings for every year in the covenant, plus interest, and the penalty applies to the whole tract even if only a corner was breached. Death, eminent domain, and (with a one year penalty) foreclosure or medical inability are the main exceptions. A family member can be deeded up to five acres to build a home without breaching.

What this means when you sell: if your A1 land is under covenant and a builder buys it, someone is paying that penalty. Either the seller pays it at closing or the buyer's price reflects it. On a large tract held for years, that penalty can be significant, so know your number before you list. The Board of Assessors will tell you the fair market value and the conservation value every year, and the gap between them is the basis for the calculation.

Why most raw land starts as A1

Forsyth County did not zone most of its land A1 because it was all farmland. A1 became the default because it is the least intensive district and the county's own purpose statement calls it the place land waits "until market conditions and public services support conversion."

That creates a predictable life cycle. A family holds 40 acres of A1 pasture, often under a conservation covenant, paying very little tax. Sewer gets extended down the road. A builder contracts the tract, files a rezoning to Res2, Res3 or CR2 to get two to four homes per acre instead of one, goes through the public hearing process, and closes once zoning is approved. The seller's price is a function of the approved density, not the A1 density. The entitlement is where the value is created.

That is also why A1 land is where the county's growth fight plays out. Under A1 with no sewer, a builder can put one home per acre and can only do a major subdivision at two acre lots. Every rezoning out of A1 is a request to multiply that. As we covered in the residential post, the current Board of Commissioners has been reluctant to approve higher density requests and has a residential rezoning moratorium in place through October 25, 2026, so for the moment most A1 land is staying A1.

If you are holding A1 acreage, the practical takeaways are simple. Your as is value is driven by what the land can do under A1 today: one home per acre, minor splits of up to six lots, two acre lots for anything bigger. Your upside value depends on sewer availability and the political climate for rezoning. And if you are in a conservation covenant, the year it expires or the penalty to break it belongs in every conversation about a sale.

Quick reference

Question	A1	AG RES
Smallest lot I can create	1 acre (2 acres in a major subdivision)	2 acres
Single family home	Yes	Yes
Manufactured home	Yes, on 2 acres or more	No
Attached in law suite	Yes	Yes
Detached guest house	Conditional use	Conditional use
Cattle, goats, sheep	Yes, no head count in the UDC	No
Horses	1 per acre, 50 foot setback	1 per acre, 50 foot setback
Chickens	Unlimited, poultry house 100 feet from lines	8 hens max, no roosters
Hogs	Conditional use	No
Bees	Yes	Yes
Roadside produce stand	Yes	Yes
Shed without a permit	Up to 200 square feet	Not addressed
Home occupation by staff approval	5 acres or more	5 acres or more
Weddings and events	Yes, 5 acres or more	No
Agritourism	Conditional use, 20 acres or more	No
Short term rental	Conditional use	Conditional use
Bed and breakfast	Conditional use	No

Crawford Lands, LLC is a licensed Georgia brokerage that exclusively lists land in Forsyth County. If you own A1 acreage and want to know what it is worth as is, what it could be worth rezoned, or what your conservation covenant does to a sale, contact us.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum lot size for A1 zoning in Forsyth County?

One acre, with a minimum lot width of 125 feet, under Table 15.2 of the Forsyth County UDC. Major subdivisions (seven or more lots, or any new street) in A1 must use two acre lots and 2,000 square foot homes under Section 15-1.4(b).

What is the difference between A1 and AG RES zoning?

A1 allows one home per acre and permits livestock, poultry houses, manufactured homes, special events and most farm related businesses. AG RES requires two acre lots, one home per two acres, and is limited to homes, horses, bees, crops and backyard chickens. Livestock raising, poultry houses, hog farms and manufactured homes are not permitted in AG RES.

How many chickens can I have on A1 land in Forsyth County?

There is no numeric limit on A1. Poultry houses are permitted by right, and Section 16-4.27 only requires a 100 foot setback from any property line. The eight hen, no rooster backyard chicken rule in Section 16-4.4 is the limit in AG RES. A1 owners may follow it if they choose but are not required to.

Can I have cows on A1 land?

Yes. Livestock raising (cattle, goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas) is permitted by right in A1 with no head count limit in the UDC. Structures housing animals must meet the 50 foot front and 25 foot side and rear setbacks, and Health Department rules apply. Livestock raising is not permitted in AG RES.

How many horses can I have per acre in Forsyth County?

One horse per acre, with stables, pens and corrals at least 50 feet from any property line, under Section 16-4.14. This applies in both A1 and AG RES.

Can I put a mobile home on A1 land?

Yes. Manufactured and mobile homes are permitted in A1 on a lot of at least two acres, one per lot, subject to the exterior, roof pitch, skirting and installation standards in Section 16-4.19. They are not permitted in AG RES.

Can I split my A1 property?

Six or fewer lots with no new road is a minor subdivision that staff can approve administratively, with one acre minimum lots. Seven or more lots, or any new road, is a major subdivision and in A1 requires two acre lots, 2,000 square foot homes and no manufactured homes under Section 15-1.4(b).

Does A1 zoning mean I get the conservation use tax break?

No. A1 is zoning; conservation use valuation is a separate ten year tax covenant under O.C.G.A. § 48-5-7.4 that you apply for with the Board of Assessors between January 2 and April 1. A1 uses generally qualify, but you have to apply and keep the land in bona fide agricultural or timber use.

What happens to my conservation covenant if I sell to a builder?

Selling to a buyer who will not continue the agricultural use is a breach. The penalty is twice the tax savings for every year in the covenant, plus interest, on the entire tract. Either the seller pays it at closing or the buyer's price accounts for it.

Can I host weddings on my A1 land?

Yes, by right, if the property is at least five acres, events run between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., parking stays on the property and you comply with the noise ordinance (Section 15-3.2). A venue with overnight lodging needs a conditional use permit. Check with the Board of Assessors first if the land is under a conservation covenant.

Why is most undeveloped land in Forsyth County zoned A1?

Because A1 is the county's default holding district. The UDC's own purpose statement says agricultural zoning continues "until market conditions and public services support conversion" to residential subdivisions. Land sits in A1 until sewer and demand arrive, then a builder rezones it to a residential district to get higher density.

Crawford Lands, LLC is a Georgia licensed real estate brokerage (License #81852). This article is general information about Forsyth County land use regulations as of September 2026 and is not legal or tax advice. Confirm current requirements with the Forsyth County Department of Planning and Community Development and the Board of Assessors before acting.

Sources

Forsyth County Unified Development Code, Chapter 15, Agricultural Districts (Sections 15-1.1 through 15-5.2, Table 15.1 and Table 15.2), via Municode: https://library.municode.com/ga/forsyth_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXAUNDECO_CH15AGDI

Forsyth County Unified Development Code, Chapter 16, Supplementary Regulations for Specific Uses (Sections 16-3.1, 16-4.1, 16-4.2, 16-4.4, 16-4.14, 16-4.18, 16-4.19, 16-4.27, 16-4.32, 16-4.33), via Municode: https://library.municode.com/ga/forsyth_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXAUNDECO_ARTIAIHEHE_ARTIVSURESPUS

Forsyth County Unified Development Code, Chapter 3, Definitions (Section 3-2.1: livestock, poultry house, subdivision minor and major, accessory apartment, agriculture), via Municode: https://library.municode.com/ga/forsyth_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXAUNDECO_CH3DE_ARTIISPDE_3-2.1SPDE

Forsyth County Board of Assessors, "Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Conservation Use Valuation and Agricultural Preferential Assessment," revised January 2026: https://forsythco.b-cdn.net/app/uploads/2026/03/CUVA-BROCHURE-FORSYTH-2026.pdf

Georgia Department of Revenue Rule 560-11-6, Conservation Use Property: https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/560-11-6

Forsyth County Board of Assessors: https://www.forsythco.com/government/departments/board-of-assessors/

Forsyth County GIS parcel and zoning maps: https://geo-forsythcoga.opendata.arcgis.com/pages/maps-and-applications-gallery