The purpose of the A district is to preserve commercial agriculture as a viable permanent land use and a significant economic activity within the county.

(Ord. 1998-1 § 311)

The agricultural designation is to be applied to land which includes prime farmland, and which has not been divided into small agriculturally unusable parcels. The agricultural zone is not intended to accommodate nonagricultural development. Factors to be considered in designating land for agricultural districts should include, but not be necessarily limited to the amount of prime farmland in the area, existing lot sizes and land uses in the area and the character of surrounding land uses.

(Ord. 1998-1 § 312)

With staff review and approval of site plan (Article III of Chapter 17.56), permitted uses in the A district include:

A.

Detached single-family dwellings including mobile homes defined by this title, Section 17.52.200;

B.

Accessory uses which are customarily incidental to residential uses;

C.

Agricultural uses and buildings and structures customarily incidental to such uses;

D.

Home occupations as defined in this title; see Section 17.52.260;

E.

Outdoor for-pay recreation uses;

F.

Agricultural support;

G.

State-licensed day care homes with up to six client children;

H.

Public utility installations, not including business offices;

I.

Commercial stables;

J.

Kennels;

K.

Public service facilities.

(Ord. 1998-1 § 313)

( Ord. No. 2015-5 , § 1, 11-25-15)

The following land uses may be conditionally permitted in the agricultural district subject to conditions established in this section and elsewhere in this title:

A.

All nonresidential uses permitted as conditional uses in the residential suburban district;

B.

Mining;

C.

Rendering, butchering, slaughter, skinning or processing of animals;

D.

Feed lot;

E.

Zoo;

F.

Wildlife preserves;

G.

Shooting preserve

H.

State-licensed day care homes or centers with seven or more client children.

(Ord. 1998-1 § 314)

Land in the agricultural district may be divided for residential use in the following manner:

A.

One dwelling unit shall be permitted for each forty (40) acres of land in a single ownership up to one hundred sixty (160) acres.

B.

When more than one hundred sixty (160) acres are held in a single ownership, then one dwelling unit shall be permitted for each additional one hundred sixty (160) acres. This amounts to one dwelling unit for approximately every additional one hundred sixty (160) acres owned.

C.

After the first two residences, each dwelling unit shall be located on its own separate lot, the size of which shall be equal to or larger than the minimum lot area specified in the building bulk and placement standards for the agricultural district.

D.

Building lots shall be created by following the requirements set out in the subdivision ordinance of Bannock County, as amended.

E.

Subdivision, as defined in the Bannock County Subdivision Ordinance, shall be permitted in the agricultural district, according to Section 17.12.055 (zoning ordinance Section 315.E.1.)

(Ord. 1999-3 § 315.E; Ord. 1998-1 § 315)

( Ord. No. 2013-2 , § 1, 3-20-13; Ord. No. 2018-03 , § 1, 2-13-18)

Open space subdivisions designed according to Section 16.28.010 (Section 401 of the Bannock County Subdivision Ordinance No. 1997-4), shall be permitted with a density of one residence per forty (40) acres.

A.

Requirements for sewage treatment and water systems shall not apply to lots over one acre.

B.

Lots shall be clustered and may vary in size with a minimum of one acre.

C.

Subdivision shall have a single access, built to county standards, to a county maintained road.

D.

The recorded plat must include all the land used to determine the number of lots, and all but the permitted lots be restricted from residential development.

E.

All other requirements and standards of the Subdivision Ordinance shall apply. Example: A one hundred sixty (160) acre tract could result in a four-lot subdivision designed according to the criteria in Section 16.28.010(B) (Section 401.B of Subdivision Ordinance No. 1997-4). All but the individual lots would serve as the open space with no additional open space required.

F.

These regulations are to be regarded as limitations on the overall density of development in the agricultural district, not as minimum building site or minimum lot size requirements.

G.

No more than four non-farm and/or farm dwellings or a combination thereof may be placed in the same quarter-quarter section.*

(Ord. 1999-3 §§ 315E.1, 570.2, 1999)

( Ord. No. 2013-2 , § 1, 3-20-13; Ord. No. 2018-03 , § 1, 2-13-18)

*For the purposes of these provisions, a quarter-quarter section or government lot shall be equivalent to a forty (40) acre parcel.

The following table sets forth building bulk and placement standards for the agricultural district:

AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT
Minimum Setbacks (feet) ⁽¹⁾

Conditional Uses: To be determined by planning and development council.

Minimum lot size is one acre; density is one dwelling per forty (40) acres. See Section 17.12.050 (zoning ordinance Section 315) for subdividing in the AG district. Larger lot sizes may be required by the health department.

Notes:

⁽¹⁾  Setbacks. All structures shall be one hundred (100) feet from any stream or riparian area, with the exception of approved culverts which comply with all requirements of the Bannock County Office of Planning and Development Services, as well as any other recognized jurisdiction.

(Ord. 1998-1 § 316)

( Ord. No. 2013-2 , § 1, 3-20-13; Ord. No. 2014-1 , § 1, 5-28-14; Ord. No. 2018-06 , § 1, 3-27-18)