401.1 Intent.          It is the intent of the A District to preserve and protect agricultural uses and resources by regulating density and land use. The district is not intended to serve the homeowner who lives on a small suburban lot, but is designed to accommodate agricultural operations on substantial acreage. Intense urban usage is usually premature and undesirable in the A District, due to lack of infrastructure. Uses within this district are mostly related to agricultural activities. Uses that might have nuisance characteristics, if intermingled in developed residential areas, are permitted on the basis that they are no more offensive than normal agricultural uses.

401.2 Principle Permitted Uses And Structures.       No building, land or premises shall be used and no building or structure shall be hereafter erected or altered unless otherwise provided for in these regulations, except for the following uses:

1.     Single-family dwellings where the land is used or intended to be used only for agricultural purposes except that the tract on which the dwelling is placed shall not be less than five (5) acres.

2.     Any public building or land used by any department of the City, county, state or federal government.

3.     Public parks and outdoor recreation areas.

4.     Farms and ranches where the land is used for general agricultural purposes.

5.     Golf courses, except miniature, pitch and putt golf courses, and driving tees operated for commercial purposes.

6.     Greenhouses and nurseries.

7.     Stands for the sale, at retail, of agricultural products or commodities raised on the premises.

401.3 PERMITTED ACCESSORY USES AND STRUCTURES              The following accessory uses and structures shall be permitted when the Principle or Conditional use exists on the lot of record and in conformance with the provisions of Section 803.

1.     Accessory uses and structures normally appurtenant to the permitted or conditionally approved uses and structures, such as but not limited to, detached garages and accessory living quarters.

2.     Home Occupations, when in accordance with the provisions of Section 905 of these Regulations.

401.4 CONDITIONAL USES AND STRUCTURES.

A building or premises may be used for the following purpose in the Agricultural District if a conditional use permit for such use has been obtained in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 12 of these Regulations.

1.     Churches or similar places of worship.

2.     Cemetery, crematory or mausoleum.

3.     Bed and Breakfast Inn.

4.     Short Term Vacation Rental.

5.     Commercial agricultural product storage facilities (elevators) when no other business is in combination with said storage.

6.     Commercial development of natural resources and commercial extraction of raw materials such as rock, gravel, sand, etc.

7.     Exploration and extraction of oil and natural gas on land within the City’s corporate limits.

8.     Kennels (Boarding and Breeding) provided that:

•      No kennel buildings or runs shall be located nearer than one hundred (100) feet to any property lines.

•      All kennel runs or open areas shall be screened, providing a sight barrier to the dogs, around such area or at the property lines to prevent the distraction or excitement of the dogs.

9.     Privately owned parks, playgrounds, or other outdoor recreational areas such as campgrounds, youth camps, gun clubs, and archery, trap and skeet ranges.

10.   Radio, telephone, telecommunications, or television transmitters and towers, subject to additional regulations set out in Chapter 9.

11.   Telephone exchange, electric substations, cable television or other similar public utilities.

12.   Outdoor motion picture theaters.

13.   Veterinarian clinic or animal hospital for large or small animals, including livestock.

14.   Municipal waste disposal sites, subject to all required governmental permitting and certification.

15.   Motor vehicle storage yard.

16.   Recycling Facility.

401.5 BULK REGULATIONS

401.5.1 General. The minimum area, setbacks, density and maximum height shall be as prescribed in Table 401.1.

Exception: Additions shall be allowed when the nonconformance relates to a setback encroachment and the addition will not intrude further into the setback than the existing structure.

TABLE 401.1

A - AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT BULK REGULATIONS

(in feet, unless noted otherwise)

DISTRICT	MINIMUM LOT AREA/SITE (square feet)	MAXIMUM DENSITY (dwelling units/acre)	LOT DIMENSIONS		SETBACK REQUIREMENTS			MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT*
			Minimum lot width	Minimum lot depth	Minimum front yard	Minimum side yard	Minimum rear yard
A	217,800	1	N/A	N/A	45	25	25	35
For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 square foot = 0.0929 m2, 1 acre = 4047 m2.

401.6 Off-Street Parking And Loading Requirements: Off- street parking and loading requirements within the Agricultural District shall be in conformance with the provisions of Sections 801 and 806 of these Regulations.

401.7 Fences And Retaining Walls: Fences and retaining wall requirements within the Agricultural District shall be in conformance with the provisions of Section 802 of these Regulations, except that certain agriculture fencing material may be permitted with approval of the Planning Commission.

401.8 Landscaping Requirements: Landscaping requirements within the Agricultural District shall be in conformance with the provisions of Section 805 of these Regulations.

401.9 Sign Requirements: Sign requirements within the Agricultural District shall be in conformance with the provisions of Chapter 10 of these Regulations.