The following general requirements shall apply in all agricultural districts:

(1)

Fences, walls and hedges: Fences, walls and hedges, not including entrance features and farm structures, shall be permitted to a maximum height of six (6) feet above the established grade along any street line, except that at the intersection of any two public or private streets, no fence, wall or hedge shall be placed or maintained within twenty-five (25) feet of the intersection of the two public or private streets. Fences and walls, excluding farm structures, along any plot line not adjacent to a street or within any required yard shall be limited to a height of six (6) feet above the established grade; however, hedges and all natural vegetation shall not be subject to height limits. Decorative lighting mounted on posts as an integral part of any fence or wall shall not be counted in determining fence height. Any such lighting must be shaded, hooded or translucent fixtures.

(2)

Vehicle and farm equipment repair. Mechanical repairs to vehicles and boats owned by the resident shall be permitted inside a building or carport. Mechanical repairs to farm or agricultural equipment used on the plot to maintain a permissible agricultural use being conducted on the property, or equipment used to maintain the property, such as lawn tractors, shall be permitted inside or outside.

(3)

Storage: The following may be stored in all agricultural districts:

(a)

Equipment and materials required for construction of a building or structure on the same site for which all required permits have been obtained and remain valid for the duration of the project.

(b)

Outside storage of household items of the resident designed and intended for outdoor use.

(c)

Operable vehicles and equipment necessary for the operation of a farm.

(d)

One non-agricultural commercial vehicle may be parked or stored on a plot inside a carport or other roofed structure, excluding vehicles equipped with a bucket lift, and excluding semi-trailers, truck-tractors, dump trucks, tow trucks and moving vans, any of which may only be parked or stored inside a completely enclosed building.

(e)

Outside storage of a maximum two (2) boats and two (2) recreational vehicles, as an accessory use to a permanent dwelling on the premises. Recreational vehicles shall not be used for living purposes and may not maintain water or sewage connections.

(f)

The open air storage of junk and debris shall be subject to removal as provided in Article X, Property Maintenance and Junk or Abandoned Property, Broward County Zoning Code.

(g)

Storage and parking of private passenger vehicles shall be in accordance with Article XII, Offstreet Parking and Loading.

(4)

Swimming pools and spas: Swimming pools and spas must be enclosed either by a screen enclosure or fence at least five (5) feet high of materials which will preclude unauthorized access to the pool or spa area. All screen doors and fence gates shall be equipped with self-closing, self-latching mechanisms.

(5)

Animals: Breeding, raising or keeping of animals shall be permitted as follows:

(a)

In all A-1 Districts:

1.

Livestock, limited to four (4) animals for each net acre of plot area, two (2) animals for each half acre of plot area and one (1) animal for each quarter acre of plot area on plots less than ten (10) acres. There shall be no limit on the number of animals on plots more than 10 net acres in size. The number and types of animals shall not be restricted on farms in the A-1 Districts except that it is presumed that the raising, breeding or keeping of swine of any type except for one (1) pot bellied Vietnamese pig, shall be presumed to be a nuisance and shall not be allowed.

2.

Poultry.

3.

In addition to the animals in paragraphs 1. and 2. above, the following may be kept on a plot containing a permanent dwelling:

a.

Birds and fowl;

b.

Dogs, cats and other household pets;

c.

Wildlife pets as permitted and licensed by the State of Florida.

4.

Commercial breeding of animals, limited to farm products.

5.

Swine of any type, except for one (1) pot bellied Vietnamese pig, are prohibited.

6.

Offspring under the normal weaning age for the species shall not be included in calculating the number of animals.

7.

On plots 3.5 acres or more in net area, the number of animals specified in paragraphs 1. and 2. may be doubled, provided all animals are sheltered.

(b)

The number and type of animals in A-2 districts shall not be restricted.

(6)

Minimum space and basic facility requirements for dwellings. No person shall occupy or allow occupancy of any dwelling which does not comply with the minimum standards specified herein.

(a)

Requirements for space.

1.

Each dwelling shall have a minimum gross floor area of not less than 250 square feet for the first occupant and not less than 160 square feet for each additional occupant, of which 60 square feet shall be bedroom area, 40 square feet shall be dining area, and 60 square feet shall be living area.

2.

Every room in a dwelling occupied by more than one occupant, shall have a gross floor area of at least 60 square feet for each occupant. Every room shall have a minimum width of 9 feet.

3.

Gross area shall be calculated on the basis of total habitable room area as defined in section 39-4 of this code.

4.

Every dwelling unit shall have a minimum of 12 square feet of floor area as closet space for the first bedroom and 6 square feet of floor area as closet space for each additional bedroom. Kitchen closet space shall not be considered as meeting this requirement.

(b)

Basic sanitary facility requirements:

1.

Each dwelling shall have not less than one flush water closet, one lavatory basin and one bathtub or shower for each 6 persons, or fraction thereof, residing in the dwelling.

2.

Urinals shall not be substituted for water closets.

3.

All toilet and bath facilities shall be accessible from the interior of the dwelling unit.

(7)

Mobile homes and construction trailers.

(a)

One mobile home may be placed on a plot in an agricultural district for a period of time not to exceed one year during active construction of a permanent dwelling. No mobile home shall be placed upon any such property until a development order for construction of the dwelling and a zoning permit has been issued. The zoning permit shall be posted in such a manner that it can be observed from the exterior of the mobile home. Actual construction of the dwelling must commence within four (4) months after issuance of the zoning permit and be actively carried forward. The mobile home must be removed from the property upon completion of the permanent dwelling or at the end of the one year period, whichever occurs first. The hearing officer may grant one extension of a maximum twelve (12) months, upon petition from the property owner, subject to requirements of Article V of this code.

(b)

On plots 10 acres or more in net area, used solely for farm homesteads or livestock, one mobile home may be maintained for housing of the property owner or persons employed by the owner to care for crops or livestock on the property. Such mobile home must meet the minimum floor area required by this article, must be constructed with wooden or masonite siding or residential lapped siding that is non-metallic in appearance and must be underskirted at the time of set-up. Roofs must be shingled with asphalt or fiberglass shingles.

(8)

Easements: No permanent structure except a wood or chain link fence, or similar type of open fencing, shall encroach upon or into any easement of record. No structure or use of any type shall encroach upon or obstruct access through any easement specifically granted for ingress or egress purposes to adjacent properties without the written concurrence of all property owners whose access would be restricted by such encroachment or obstruction.

(9)

Limitations for nonresidential, nonagricultural uses. Although nonresidential and nonagricultural uses are permitted on a limited basis to serve the surrounding neighborhood, in order to promote and protect the primary purpose of agricultural districts, the following limitations are hereby established:

(a)

There shall be a minimum distance of one thousand (1,000) feet between all plots upon which a development order has been issued for construction or erection of a permitted nonresidential and nonagricultural use, except wireless communication facilities, or upon which a building or structure has been constructed for and is used primarily for a permitted nonresidential and nonagricultural use, except wireless communication facilities. Measurement of the 1,000 feet shall be by an actual or imaginary straight line upon the ground or in the air, from the property line of one permitted nonresidential and nonagricultural use to the nearest property line of any other proposed nonresidential and nonagricultural use.

(b)

Any person wishing to establish a permitted nonresidential and nonagricultural use, except wireless communication facilities, shall furnish to the county a special purpose survey sealed by a land surveyor certified by the State of Florida. The survey shall indicate the distance between the proposed use and any other existing nonresidential and nonagricultural use.

(c)

As of September 1, 1999, in addition to limitations specified in subsections (a) and (b) above, all permitted nonresidential and nonagricultural uses, except wireless communication facilities, shall be located only on plots contiguous to an expressway or arterial.

(d)

Wireless communication facilities shall be subject to requirements of section 39-102, "wireless communication facilities," of this Code.

(10)

Landscaping: Except for portions of plots used for farm operations, installation and maintenance of landscaping shall be subject to compliance with Article VIII, "Landscaping for Protection of Water Quality and Quantity," of this code.

(11)

Signs: Installation and maintenance of signs shall be subject to compliance with Article VI, Signs, of this code.

(12)

Definitions: Terms used within this article are defined in Article II, Definitions, of this code.

(13)

Nonconforming uses: Any use which has been established as a legal nonconforming use, or which becomes a legal nonconforming use, shall be subject to provisions of Article VII, Nonconforming Uses and Structures, of this code.

(14)

Parking of private passenger vehicles. Parking shall be subject to requirements of article XII, Offstreet Parking and Loading, of this Code.

(15)

Property maintenance. The maintenance of buildings and structures, the storage of junk vehicles, junk items, trash, debris, garbage and overgrowth shall be subject to requirements of article X, Property Maintenance, of this Code.

(16)

Miscellaneous provisions. In addition to general provisions provided in this section, agricultural districts shall be subject to general provisions specified in Article IX, "General Provisions," of this Code.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97; Ord. No. 1998-27, § 4, 9-8-98; Ord. No. 1999-39, § 2, 6-22-99; Ord. No. 2000-36, § 23, 8-22-00; Ord. No. 2001-18, § 10, 5-22-01; Ord. No. 2005-17, § 11, 6-28-05; Ord. No. 2013-04, § 2, 2-12-13)

The A-1 Agricultural Estate, and A-1 General Agricultural Districts are intended to apply to those areas of unincorporated Broward County, the present or prospective use of which is primarily rural, estate or agricultural. The regulations of these districts are intended to protect, preserve and enhance the rural character and lifestyle of existing low density areas and agricultural uses and comply with the Agricultural, Estate and Rural Ranches land use designations of the certified Future Unincorporated Area Land Use Element of the Broward County Comprehensive Plan with limited community facilities and utility facilities permitted to serve the neighborhood.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97; Ord. No. 2000-36, § 24, 8-22-00)

The following shall constitute agricultural zoning districts for the purposes of this code:

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97)

Except as provided in Section 39-251 of this article, no agricultural zoning district shall be developed to a density exceeding one (1) dwelling unit per one (1) net acre of plot area.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97; Ord. No. 2023-26, § 6, 9-7-23, eff. 9-13-23)

Plots in agricultural districts may be used for one (1) or more of the following specified uses:

Key to abbreviations:

P = Permitted

NP = Not Permitted

C = Conditional Use

Any other use or structure naturally and customarily associated with any permitted use shall be considered accessory to the above, provided the accessory use or structure is clearly incidental to, subordinate to, and subservient to the permitted use it serves.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97; Ord. No. 1999-39, § 3, 6-22-99; Ord. No. 2020-34, § 24, 9-22-2020; Ord. No. 2022-18, § 3, 4-27-22; Ord. No. 2022-48, § 2, 12-6-22; Ord. No. 2025-15, § 7, 4-1-25)

Any use not expressly permitted in section 39-249 of this article is prohibited.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97)

(1)

Any plot in an agricultural district shall have at least one dimension of 250 feet.

(2)

Any plot recorded as a single plot in the Official Records of Broward County, Florida, as of December 31, 1992, or that becomes undersized or oversized due to a district or regulation change, or an easement or right-of-way dedication or vacation may be used for a permitted use subject to all other limitations and requirements of this Code.

(3)

Except for wireless communication facilities, any plot occupied or to be occupied for a permitted nonagricultural, nonresidential use shall be a minimum of one (1) net acre.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97; Ord. No. 2000-36, § 25, 8-22-00; Ord. No. 2023-26, § 7, 9-7-23, eff. 9-13-23)

All permitted nonresidential and nonagricultural uses shall be limited to plots a maximum of five (5) acres in net area.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97)

The combined area occupied by all buildings and roofed structures shall not exceed twenty percent (20%), on portions of plots not occupied by a farm containing other than nonresidential farm buildings and structures.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97; Ord. No. 2001-18, § 11, 5-22-01)

No building or structure, or part thereof, excluding farm buildings and structures on portions of plots occupied by a farm, shall be erected or maintained to a height exceeding thirty-five (35) feet, except as permitted by section 39-103, exclusions from height limits, and section 39-102, wireless communication facilities.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97; Ord. No. 2000-36, § 26, 8-22-00; Ord. No. 2001-18, § 12, 5-22-01)

All plots in agricultural districts shall maintain yard setbacks for all buildings, roofed structures, and accessory uses not less than the following:

(1)

On plots less than five (5) net acres in size, any farm building or structure on a portion of a plot occupied by a farm shall either be located not less than fifty (50) feet from any plot line or shall have buffer consisting of an opaque fence or wall, hedge or berm to a minimum height of six (6) feet. There shall be no required setbacks for farm buildings and structures on plots five (5) acres or more in net area.

(2)

Front yard: A front yard of at least fifty (50) feet must be provided for all residential dwellings and accessory buildings. For the purpose of this section, the front yard shall be determined to be on the side of the plot which provides primary access by means of a public or private street or recorded access easement. In the case of cul-de-sac plots, the front yard setback shall be measured parallel to the arc of the cul-de-sac.

(3)

All other yards:

(a)

On all remaining sides of any residentially used plot, or portion thereof, there shall be a yard of at least twenty-five (25) feet between any plot line and any building or structure, including accessory uses, except permitted fences and signs.

(b)

On all nonresidential and nonagricultural plots there shall be a yard of at least fifty (50) feet between any plot line and any building or structure, except permitted fences and signs.

(4)

In the A-1 zoning district, there shall be no minimum separation between detached farm buildings or structures on a single plot, or portion thereof, occupied by a farm. The minimum separation for all dwellings and enclosed nonfarm buildings and structures shall be ten (10) feet.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97; Ord. No. 2001-18, § 13, 5-22-01; Ord. No. 2020-34, § 25, 9-22-2020)

The minimum floor area of a one-family dwelling shall be 1,500 square feet.

(Ord. No. 1997-29, § 1, 7-8-97; Ord. No. 2001-18, § 14, 5-22-01)

In the event a plot is not used for farm operations for a period of one (1) year, all buildings and structures shall meet all requirements of this article for residential or nonresidential and nonagricultural uses.

(Ord. No. 2001-18, § 15, 5-22-01)