Delton Town City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
Agricultural District
§ 255-55 Purpose.
[Amended 6-25-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-4]
A.
This district provides for the preservation, maintenance and enhancement of quality agricultural, forestry and natural areas for the benefit of farm operators and the general public in terms of production of food and fiber and environmental quality. This district will allow nonagricultural uses to be considered. Rezoning to residential districts and other nonagricultural uses will be reviewed by the Planning Commission on a case-by-case basis. This policy is intended to avoid conflicts which occur when farm and nonfarm uses are mixed and to reduce the adverse pressures upon farming caused by speculative land values and consequent increases in property taxes on farmlands.
B.
A CSM approval shall be conditional on the intended use of the property and whether it is compatible and consistent with the surrounding Agricultural Zoned parcels.
§ 255-56 Permitted uses.
A.
The total number of animal units for a subcategory shall be calculated by multiplying the number of animals for each animal type by the appropriate equivalency factor from Table 1 and summing the products. The number of combined animal units shall be the sum of the number of animal units for each subcategory. Based on the application and the provisions of this article, the Commission shall determine whether a permit needs to be issued.
Table 1 Number of Animal Types Equivalent to 1,000 Animal Units and Animal Equivalency Factors | ||
|---|---|---|
Number Equivalent To 1,000 Animal Units | Subcategory of Animal Types | Animal Equivalency Factor |
Dairy cattle | ||
700 | Milking and dry cows | 1.4 |
910 | Heifers (800 lbs to 1,200 lbs) | 1.1 |
1,670 | Heifers (400 lbs to 800 lbs) | 0.6 |
5,000 | Calves (under 400 lbs) | 0.2 |
Beef cattle | ||
1,000 | Steers or cows (1,000 lbs to mkt) | 1.0 |
1,250 | Steers or cows (600 lbs to 1,000 lbs) | 0.8 |
2,000 | Calves (under 600 lbs) | 0.5 |
700 | Bulls | 1.4 |
Swine | ||
2,500 | Pigs (55 lbs to mkt) | 0.4 |
10,000 | Pigs (up to 55 lbs) | 0.1 |
2,500 | Sows | 0.04 |
2,000 | Boars | 0.5 |
Sheep | ||
10,000 | Per animal | 0.1 |
Horses | ||
500 | Per animal | 2.0 |
Ducks | ||
5,000 | Per bird (wet lot) | 0.2 |
100,000 | Per bird (dry lot) | 0.01 |
Chickens | ||
100,000 | Layers | 0.01 |
200,000 | Broilers | 0.005 |
Turkeys | ||
55,000 | Per bird | 0.018 |
Combined animal units | ||
1,000 | Calculated total | |
Source: Cr. Register, February 1984, No. 338: effective 3-1-1984. |
(1)
Design standard. Owners or operators of large animal feeding operations shall design permanent runoff control structures according to the maximum amount of rainfall generated by a twenty-five-year, twenty-four-hour rainfall event for the location of the point source. This standard may be modified in accordance with the provisions of § NR 243.05, Wis. Adm. Code. All operations in excess of the above must apply for a conditional use permit, and all operations must comply with § NR 243.13, Wis. Adm. Code, runoff control, or subsequent rulings thereof.
B.
Raising of grain, grass, mint, seed crops, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and berries.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
C.
Greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, floriculture, viticulture, sod farming.
D.
Beekeeping.
E.
Forest and game management; nature trails and walks.
F.
Roadside stands.
G.
Home occupations and professional home offices meeting the standards of § 255-63B(2) of the Single-Family Residential District.
H.
Sawmills, temporary (30 days or less).
I.
One single-family dwelling per parcel, except that there may be up to two per farm operation for the farm operator parents or children of the farm operator or hired persons deriving at least 50% of their income from the farm operation.
J.
Farm dwellings and related structures which remain after farm consolidation may be separated from the farm lot onto a parcel of not less than one acre.
K.
Garages and other similar structures or uses accessory to housing uses.
§ 255-57 Conditional uses.
A.
Fish or fur farms.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B.
Type I mineral extractions/processing operations (see Article XIII, Mineral Reservation District, for definition).
C.
Establishment or expansion of animal waste storage facilities when located within 500 feet of the residence of someone other than the owner of the system
D.
Two-family dwellings.
E.
Commercial riding stables, equestrian trails.
F.
Shooting ranges (indoor and outdoor).
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
G.
Agricultural-related businesses, including, but not limited to, farm implement dealers, feed mills, grain dryers, fertilizer dealers, stockyards, slaughterhouses, bone distilleries, fat rendering plants, veterinary services, sawmills, livestock and farm commodity trucking services, creameries, dairies and cheese factors.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
H.
Aircraft landing fields, bases and hangers.
I.
Commercial or boarding kennels.
J.
Religious, institutional, governmental, or utility uses which are compatible with the purposes of this district, which do not conflict with agricultural uses and which are found necessary in light of alternative locations available for such uses.
K.
Mini warehouse rentals and other rental storage buildings, provided that open exterior storage of personal property is not allowed at such facilities, except personal overnight recreational vehicles and pleasure/personal watercraft may be temporarily stored outside on the premises as an accessory use subject to the following conditions:
[Amended 2-27-2024]
(1)
The storage will occur within a designated area which will be clearly delineated on the site plan, and all building setback requirements will be observed.
(2)
The outside storage area will not exceed 200% of the area of the principal building(s).
(3)
The outside storage area will be screened from the adjoining public right-of-way and neighboring parcels by a fence, masonry wall, vegetation, or the principal building(s). Fences will be not less than six feet high and opaque.
(4)
Watercraft will be shrink-wrapped.
(5)
Exterior storage will be limited seasonally, i.e., allowed annually between September 1 and May 31 only.
(6)
In this section, "recreation vehicle" means, without limitation, licensed motor homes (class A, B, C), travel trailers, truck campers, pop-ups and fifth wheels.
§ 255-58 Standards.
A.
Dimensional rules and standards for all uses in this district:
(1)
Residential lot and yard sizes. Where a dwelling is to be established according to the provisions of this district on a parcel which is separate from that of the farm tract or of the parcel on which another dwelling unit exists, the parcel shall comply with the dimensional rules and standards of the Single-Family Residential District (R-1).
(2)
Setbacks. All structures shall meet highway and shoreline setbacks.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(3)
Height:
(a)
Buildings for human habitation shall not exceed 50 feet in height.
(b)
The height of other structures shall not exceed its distance from the nearest lot line.
[Amended 8-10-2004; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(4)
Floor area. No residence shall contain less than 750 square feet of living area.
B.
Dimensional rules and standards for conditional uses:
(1)
The minimum lot size, height and yard requirements for conditional uses shall be as specified in the conditional use permit, but in no case shall any structure be less than 20 feet from a lot line and any structure shall meet all highway and shoreline setbacks.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(2)
Conditional uses must be determined:
(a)
To not cause unusual public service needs.
(b)
To not produce traffic which will result in a major slowing of highway traffic.
(c)
To not cause unreasonable air or water pollution, soil erosion, or adverse effects on rare or irreplaceable natural areas.
(3)
Applicants shall submit site plans showing principal and accessory structures, parking areas, storage areas, and general design and land use, and any other pertinent information needed to satisfy the Planning Commission that the site can provide adequate and functional spacing and operations, and responsible surface water management.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(4)
The Planning Commission shall consider whether other locations, less threatening to continued farming of productive agricultural lands, might be available for the proposed use and the strength of the reasons offered by the applicant in support of the site in question. In considering the conditional use, the Planning Commission shall also consider the effects upon and possible conflicts with agricultural uses on surrounding land. Impacts which would be harmful to agriculture in the area may be the basis for rejection of the proposed conditional use or may be the basis for conditions attached to the use.
(5)
Commercial or boarding kennels shall be at least 200 feet from the boundary of a residential district.
(6)
Type I mineral extractions/processing operations shall be subject to the dimensional rules and standards set forth in the Mineral Reservation District.
(7)
Slaughterhouses, bone distilleries, fat rendering plants, and other agricultural-related businesses of this sort shall be subject to the operational standards set forth in the industrial district.
(8)
Shooting ranges shall be constructed according to current Department of Natural Resources guidelines.
§ 255-59 Standards for rezoning.
A.
Rezonings out of the Agricultural District to a single-family residential or multiple-family residential district shall be considered on a case-by-case basis and each shall be determined on its own merits. This includes:
(1)
Subdivisions (as defined in the Sauk County Land Division and Subdivision Ordinance).
(2)
Multiple-family dwellings.
(3)
Condominiums; planned unit developments.
(4)
Mobile home parks.
B.
All divisions of platted subdivision lots must come before the Planning Commission.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
C.
The Planning Commission may approve petitions for rezoning lands out of the Agricultural District only upon finding that such a rezoning is in the public interest after consideration of the following factors:
(1)
Adequate public facilities exist or will be provided to serve the development.
(2)
Provision of these facilities and services will not be an unreasonable burden to local government.
(3)
Land is suitable for development.
(4)
The development will not cause unreasonable air or water pollution, soil erosion or adverse effects on rare or irreplaceable natural areas.
(5)
Potential conflict with remaining agricultural lands and uses in the area.
(6)
Need for the proposed development in the location specified.
(7)
Availability of alternative locations.
(8)
Productivity of the agricultural lands that are involved or affected.
(9)
When two successive or adjacent lots of five acres or less are created with a certified survey, upon creation of the third successive lot of five acres or less, regardless of the length of time between surveys, all lots must then be rezoned to Single-Family Residential prior to approval by the Town Board of the creation of the third lot.