In the Village of Marvin, horses are legal on a narrow slice of land. The Marvin Development Ordinance lists livestock only in the Rural Residential (RR) district, where lots must be at least 2.5 acres, and a boarding or lesson barn needs a special use approval and at least 5 acres. The ordinance calls single-family neighborhoods the dominant land use in Marvin, so a high-end buyer who wants horses at home should confirm the zoning, the permits behind any existing barn, and the covenants before talking price.
Marvin was incorporated on July 1, 1994, and the village says it covers more than 6 square miles. Its land use plan places it in Union County with Mecklenburg County to the north, Lancaster County, South Carolina to the west, Waxhaw to the south and Weddington to the east. Its 2020 land use plan carries the heading "Marvin Preserves its Equestrian Roots." One of the plan's parks and greenways goals reads:
"Expand existing multi-use trails and continue to support Marvin’s equestrian heritage and preserve open spaces."
Heritage and zoning are different things, though. Here is how the current ordinance (Article 8 as amended June 10, 2025) treats horses.
Where horses are allowed in Marvin
The ordinance describes the RR district this way:
"The Rural Residential District (RR) is established to protect lands used for low-density residential uses in traditional rural settings and includes agricultural production, agriculturally based businesses and related activities."
In Table 8.1, the Table of Uses, "Agricultural Production (Crops & Livestock)" is listed only in RR, and "Equestrian Facility" is a special use only in RR. Crop-only agriculture is listed in more districts. Article 8 is direct about anything left off the table: "Where a use is not listed within a given Primary General-Use District, such use shall not be permitted."
| District | Minimum lot size | Minimum lot width | Livestock listed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| RR (Rural Residential) | 2.5 acres | 144 ft. | Yes |
| SFR-1 | 34,900 sq. ft. | 130 ft. | No |
| SFR-2 | 17,450 sq. ft. | 72 ft. | No |
| SFR-3 | 11,600 sq. ft. | 60 ft. | No |
RR also caps residential density at 0.34 units per acre and sets principal-building setbacks of 50 feet in front, 40 feet in the rear and 16 feet on the sides.
What this means for a buyer: a large home with a barn on an SFR-zoned lot is not proof that horses are allowed there. Article 22 of the ordinance covers nonconformities. If you plan to keep horses on a property that is not zoned RR, get a written zoning determination from the village before your due diligence period ends, and ask specifically whether any exemption for bona fide farms could apply.
Rules for a boarding or lesson barn
If you plan to board other people's horses or teach, the property becomes an equestrian facility, which is a special use in RR. Section 10.2-7 sets these conditions:
- The lot must be at least 5 acres.
- Outdoor riding rings may be part of the facility.
- Manure storage areas, barns and stables must be at least 300 feet from any adjacent residentially zoned property.
- Buildings are limited to a 15,000-square-foot footprint and 42 feet in height.
- Exterior materials must be wood siding, wood shingles, fiber cement siding, brick, rock or other high-quality masonry. Vinyl and metal siding are not permitted.
The section also caps density:
"Maximum number of horses boarded is 2 per acre."
Village of Marvin, Marvin Development Ordinance, Article 10, Section 10.2-7
Worked example: the 300-foot rule on 10 and 20 acres
A square 10-acre parcel measures about 660 feet on each side. If every neighbor is residentially zoned, keeping the barn and manure storage 300 feet from all four sides leaves a buildable square only about 60 feet across, or 3,600 square feet, well under the 15,000-square-foot footprint the rule allows. The same math on a square 20-acre parcel (about 933 feet per side) leaves a center area roughly 333 feet across. On paper, a 10-acre parcel could board up to 20 horses at 2 per acre, but on a parcel that size the setback, not the horse cap, is the limit.
Real parcels are rarely square, and a neighbor zoned for something other than residential changes the math. Ask the village how it measures the 300 feet and which neighboring districts count as residential before you commit to a facility plan. For the business side of boarding, see our guide to horse farm income in North Carolina.
Scenic corridors along Marvin's entrance roads
Some parcels touch Marvin's Scenic Corridor Overlay. Article 8 allows the scenic corridor easement to be used for passive recreation, agricultural uses and equestrian uses, and it allows buildings used mainly for agricultural or equestrian activities inside the easement only with Village Council approval as a special use. That makes a frontage pasture workable while limiting where a barn can go, so check a survey for the easement line before you design a layout.
Permits: two offices, in order
Building a barn, arena shelter or guest quarters in Marvin involves both the village and the county:
"The Village of Marvin does not issue building permits, this is handled by Union County, however a zoning permit with the Village must be obtained in order to receive a building permit."
The village lists a typical zoning permit turnaround of 24 to 48 hours. For an existing barn, ask the seller for both the village zoning permit and the Union County building permit and final inspection.
Utilities are the other big check. The village notes that many residents have a septic tank and well, with Union County providing water and sewer where available. A barn, pool or guest house can collide with a septic repair area. Our Waxhaw buyer's guide explains the Union County well and septic records to request.
Covenants, HOAs and the land use plan
If an estate is in a subdivision, check its recorded covenants, which can prohibit horses even where zoning would allow them. Read the declaration, amendments and architectural rules for animals, fencing and outbuildings. Our Weddington zoning guide covers the North Carolina owners' association disclosure that sellers must provide.
Also set expectations on riding at home versus riding out. Marvin's trails page describes the Marvin Loop as an asphalt greenway plus miles of natural surface walking trails. It does not describe horse access. In the 2020 land use plan survey, 23 percent of residents supported horse trails as a planning project, compared with 87 percent for traffic calming and 83 percent for sidewalks, greenways and trails.
Taxes on a Marvin estate
Marvin's tax rate for fiscal year 2026-27 is $0.0563 per $100 of assessed value, unchanged from the prior year after a 2.37-cent cut following Union County's reappraisal. Union County's rate stayed at 43.42 cents for fiscal year 2026-27. Together that is 49.05 cents per $100.
Worked example: a Marvin property assessed at $1,500,000 would owe about $7,357.50 a year in combined village and county property tax ($1,500,000 divided by 100, times 0.4905).
Present-use value: rarely a fit, but know the rule
North Carolina's present-use value program taxes qualifying farmland at its use value rather than market value. For agricultural land, G.S. 105-277.3 requires at least one tract of at least 10 acres in actual production and an average gross income of at least $1,000 over the prior three years. Horses can count:
"For purposes of this definition, the commercial production or growing of animals includes the rearing, feeding, training, caring, boarding, and managing of horses."
Because the ordinance describes single-family neighborhoods as Marvin's dominant land use, a parcel large enough to qualify is the exception. If a large tract is already enrolled, ask the Union County tax office what a change in use or ownership would trigger, and talk with your CPA or attorney before closing.
How to think about price
Canopy MLS does not publish a separate Marvin report. The closest public figures are nearby: Union County's median sales price was $525,000 in August 2026, and Waxhaw's year-to-date median through August was $700,000, with an August average list price of $964,896. Marvin's 2020 land use plan, citing Census data available then, put the village's median home value at $661,300. That figure predates the 2025 reappraisal and recent sales, so treat it as history.
None of these numbers describe horse estates. RR-zoned acreage with a permitted barn trades on its own comparables, and its value depends on usable pasture, barn quality and permit history. A fair price starts with comparable horse property sales, which you can browse on our recently sold page and our equestrian property listings. For the wider county picture, see our Union County page.
Marvin buyer checklist
- Zoning district confirmed in writing (RR or not).
- Village zoning permit and county building permit history for every barn and outbuilding.
- Survey showing setbacks, any scenic corridor easement, and the septic and repair area.
- Recorded covenants that allow horses, barns and your fence style.
- For boarding or lessons: a special use path, the 5-acre minimum, the 2-per-acre cap and the 300-foot setback worked out on the survey.
- Tax bill and any present-use value status reviewed with your CPA.
If you are considering a Marvin property and want a second set of eyes on zoning and comparable sales, contact us.
Sources
- Village of Marvin, Marvin Development Ordinance (MDO) article index
- Village of Marvin, Marvin Development Ordinance, Article 8, Districts (amended June 10, 2025)
- Village of Marvin, Table 8.1, Table of Uses (amended June 10, 2025)
- Village of Marvin, Marvin Development Ordinance, Article 10, Uses with Additional Standards and Special Uses
- Village of Marvin, Land Use Plan 2020
- Village of Marvin, Who We Are
- Village of Marvin, Permitting
- Village of Marvin, Utilities
- Village of Marvin, Trails and Greenways
- Village of Marvin, Taxes
- Union County Weekly, Union County maintains property tax rate
- North Carolina General Statutes, G.S. 105-277.2, Agricultural, horticultural, and forestland definitions
- North Carolina General Statutes, G.S. 105-277.3, Agricultural, horticultural, and forestland classifications
- Canopy Realtor Association, Housing Market Sortable Statistics, August 2026
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update for Waxhaw, August 2026
