A.   Purpose: The A District is intended to preserve in agricultural use land suited to eventual development in other uses until such time as streets, utilities and other community facilities may be provided or programmed as to ensure the orderly and beneficial conversion of these lands to nonagricultural use; to provide appropriate areas for certain predominantly open uses of land which are not injurious to agricultural uses but which may not be harmonious with urban uses; to allow for the continuation of Agricultural Preserve Contracts within the City prior to cancellation or nonrenewal.

It is the declared policy of the City to support and recognize the agricultural industry as an important and major part of the City's economy by the A District and policies for areas that are or may become part of the City. It is the further purpose of the City to promote good neighbor policies between agricultural and nonagricultural property owners by ensuring that nonagricultural uses in agricultural zones be limited as much as possible, and that nonagricultural uses and nonagricultural residents in agricultural zones are aware that their nonagricultural activities are subservient to the permitted agricultural pursuits and that undertaking of normal, customary, and legal agricultural activities and operations may result in inconveniences to them due to their location in areas of commercial agricultural activities and operations.

   B.   Application: This District is intended primarily for application in rural areas of the City near its boundaries as a buffer between the more intensive agricultural uses, such as animal concentrations, of the General Agricultural District of Kings County. This Zone is meant to be supportive of the Kings County (AL-10) Limited Agricultural-10 District. These areas are generally conducive to agricultural operations and compatible with nonagricultural uses. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)

   A.   Agricultural operations including hydroponics, the raising of field crops, fruit and nut trees, Christmas trees, vines, vegetables, horticultural specialties, and timber; fish farming; poultry raising or keeping, not to exceed one hundred (100) chickens or twenty five (25) turkeys; aviaries; raising other small animals, including birds, mammals, and reptiles for noncommercial purposes, not exceeding twenty (20) animals and their immature offspring.

   B.   One one-family dwelling which is incidental to a permitted use.

   C.   Incidental and accessory structures and uses located on the same site with a permitted use including farm offices, barns, stables, coops, tank houses, storage tanks, wind machines, windmills, silos and other farm outbuildings; private garages and carports; one guest house or accessory living quarters without kitchen; storehouses, garden structures, greenhouses, recreation rooms, private swimming pools and tennis courts for the use of the persons residing on the site and their guests, and hobby shops; storage of petroleum products for the use of persons residing on the site, but not for resale or distribution.

   D.   The harvesting, curing, processing, packaging, packing and shipping of agricultural products produced upon the premises, or where such activity is carried on in conjunction with or as part of a bona fide agricultural operation.

   E.   Noncommercial kennels for the keeping of dogs and/or cats belonging to those living on the site.

   F.   Irrigation, flood control and drainage facilities, percolation basins, groundwater recharge wells and evaporation ponds.

   G.   Public utility and public service structures including electric transmission and distribution substations, gas regulator stations, communications equipment buildings, public service pumping stations and reservoirs.

   H.   Signs, subject to the provisions of Chapter 16 of this Title.

   I.   Livestock keeping and raising, provided that the total number of animals shall not exceed two (2) animal units and their immature offspring, for each acre of site devoted to their care, and further provided that the total number of livestock units shall not exceed twenty five (25) animal units and their immature offspring.

   J.   Land excavations in conjunction with earth borrow pit operations where the land is immediately releveled for farming purposes and the new grade of the site is less than one foot (1') lower than the original grade. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)

The following uses may be permitted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 18 of this Title:

   A.   Agricultural service establishments primarily engaged in performing agricultural, animal husbandry or horticultural services on a fee or contract basis including the following uses, and closely related uses: corn shelling; contract sorting, grading and packing of fruits and vegetables for the grower; seed storage; horticultural services such as plant nurseries, landscape gardening, landscape contracting; establishments engaged in performing services such as fruit, nut, and produce picking, seed cleaning; farm equipment sales, service and repair; honey houses.

   B.   Incidental and accessory structures and uses located on the same site as a permitted use requiring site plan review or conditional use.

   C.   Mobile home as a residence; as farm employee housing incidental to a permitted or conditional use; or used to care for infirm parent, grandparent, child, grandchild or sibling for a maximum period of time necessary to care for the infirm person at which time the mobile home shall be removed and no other person or persons shall occupy it. A recreation vehicle may be used to temporarily care for infirm parent, grandparent, child, grandchild or sibling for a maximum period of sixty (60) days, or the condition requiring the care no longer exists, whichever is the shorter period of time.

   D.   Land excavation in connection with earth borrow pit operations, where the depth of excavation does not exceed two and one-half feet (21/2'), and the land is immediately releveled for farming purposes.

   E.   Rural home occupations. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)

The following conditional uses may be permitted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 17 of this Title:

   A.   Borrow pit operations where the depth of borrow pit excavation exceeds two and one-half feet (21/2').

   B.   Open recreational facilities including golf courses, golf driving ranges, archery ranges, swimming pools, fish ponds, riding academies, parks, community centers, guest ranches, drive-in theaters, but not including enclosed uses such as a bowling alley, or racetracks or strips used for racing motorized vehicles or motorcycles.

   C.   Gas and oil wells.

   D.   Carnivals, circuses, outdoor festivals, tent revivals, and other transient amusement enterprises for a period not to exceed four (4) days.

   E.   Hazardous waste treatment equipment which is added to an existing use at the same site.

   F.   In-home day care uses not exceeding twelve (12) children.

   G.   Public and quasi-public uses of an educational type including preschools, elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools, colleges.

   H.   Community facilities and institutions including churches, monasteries, convents, and other religious institutions incidental to farming activities; public and private philanthropic and charitable institutions; hospitals, sanitariums, nursing homes and rest homes; private, noncommercial clubs and lodges; and day care uses exceeding twelve (12) children.

   I.   Public uses of an administrative, public service or cultural type including libraries, museums, art galleries, police and fire stations and other buildings, structures and facilities.

   J.   Penal institutions.

   K.   Sewage treatment plants; publicly owned solid or municipal landfills, solid or municipal waste transfer and processing stations, and material recovery (recycling) facilities.

   L.   Commercial kennels.

   M.   Radio and television broadcasting studios and accessory structures; radio, television, cellular telephone, and microwave relays and transmission towers; commercial satellite communications receiving dishes.

   N.   Airports, heliports, crop dusting landing strips and establishments, and accessory structures intended for commercial agricultural uses.

   O.   Offices of veterinarians and animal hospitals.

   P.   Farm employee housing in excess of five (5) dwelling units per parcel.

   Q.   Cemeteries. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)

   A.   Any use involving a business, service or process not completely enclosed in a structure, when located on a site abutting on or across a street or alley from a residential district shall be screened by a solid fence or masonry wall or compact growth of natural plant materials not less than six feet (6') in height if the Planning Director, in the case of a site plan review, or Planning Commission, in the case of a conditional use permit, finds said use to be unsightly.

   B.   No application for a site plan review or conditional use permit shall be approved and no process, equipment or materials shall be used which are found by the Planning Commission in the case of a conditional use permit, or the Planning Director in the case of a site plan review, to be objectionable to persons living or working in the vicinity or injurious to property, crops, or livestock in the vicinity by reason of odor, fumes, dust, smoke, cinders, dirt, refuse, water-carried wastes, noise, vibration, illumination, glare or unsightliness or to involve any hazard of fire or explosion. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)

   A.   The minimum lot area shall be nominally ten (10) acres and its minimum width shall be three hundred thirty feet (330'), or the equivalent fractional part of a section.

   B.   Lots of not less than one acre may be allowed for those uses listed in subsections 11-6-2F or G of this Chapter.

   C.   Lots smaller than ten (10) acres, but not less than one acre, may be allowed for uses listed in Section 11-6-4 provided that the lot is specifically approved as a condition of granting a conditional use permit pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 19 of this Title. Each such lot shall have a minimum width of one hundred twenty five feet (125').

   D.   Any division of land which is restricted by California Land Conservation Act of 1965 contracts must comply with the minimum parcel sizes required by the Act regardless of parcel size exceptions in this Title. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)