The primary purpose of this district is to encourage the conservation and protection of agricultural lands and to reserve areas for use by large commercial farms. The establishment of this district recognizes the importance of the agricultural industry in Grays Harbor County and provides protection for those soils and areas most suitable for commercial agriculture.

(Ord. 333 (part), 2005:Ord. 241 § 13.03.300, 1998)

The following uses or activities are permitted in the district:

A.

Commercial agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture;

B.

Farm buildings;

C.

Farm drainage and irrigation systems;

D.

The growing and harvesting of forest products;

E.

The sale of agricultural and horticultural products on the premises where such products are grown;

F.

Home day cares;

G.

Single-family dwellings;

H.

Home occupations pursuant to the provisions of Section 17.60.050;

I.

Riding academies;

J.

Emergency medical and emergency fire equipment storage facilities.

(Ord. 333 (part), 2005: Ord. 242(part), 2001: Ord. 241 § 13.03.310, 1998)

(Ord. No. 410, § 4, 3-17-2014; Ord. No. 482, § 4, 3-14-2023)

The following conditional uses or actions may be approved by the board of adjustment provided that the provisions and requirements of Sections 17.16.040 and 17.80.040 are fulfilled:

A.

Cemeteries, publicly owned facilities for maintenance of roads and highways (see Sections 17.60.030 and 17.60.040);

B.

Agricultural service establishments primarily engaged in performing agricultural, animal husbandry, or horticultural services on a fee or contract basis including but not limited to hay baling and threshing, sorting, grading, and packing fruits and vegetables for the grower, agricultural produce milling and processing; horticultural services, crop dusting, land grading, farm equipment service and repair, and veterinary services;

C.

Forest products processing plants subject to the following conditions:

1.

The use will only convert the least suitable agricultural land in the area;

2.

The use will not negatively impact directly or indirectly adjacent agricultural activities;

3.

The property is currently occupied by a dwelling; and

4.

The use is owned by the residential occupant of the property.

D.

Secondary uses as provided in Section 17.60.060. In considering an application for a conditional use permit pursuant to this section, the board of adjustment may impose such other conditions as are deemed necessary to ensure the compatibility of the proposed use with agricultural activities and as are necessary to ensure that the use remains secondary to the residential use;

E.

On any legal parcel a second temporary dwelling unit for care giving purposes may be authorized provided that the following conditions are met:

1.

No division of the property is authorized,

2.

The temporary dwelling shall be removed or converted to a conforming use when the use authorized by the permit is discontinued,

3.

The parcel shall comply with the minimum-area requirements of environmental health division for each unit.

F.

Cannabis processing and production (subject to Section 17.60.210 but not Section 17.16.040).

(Ord. 336 (part), 2005; Ord. 333 (part), 2005; Ord 262 (part), 2001: Ord. 241 § 17.12.320, 1998)

(Ord. No. 482, § 5, 3-14-2023; Ord. No. 498, § 5, 12-17-2024)

No conditional use permit shall be issued by the board of adjustment unless following review and written findings it determines that the proposed use satisfies the following conditions and the conditions set by Section 17.80.040:

A.

The use shall not be one to which the noise, odor, dust or chemical residues of commercial agriculture or horticulture might result in creation or establishment of a nuisance or trespass;

B.

All agricultural service establishments shall be located at least two hundred feet from any driveway affecting access to a farm dwelling or field and at least three hundred feet from any single-family dwelling;

C.

An agricultural service establishment shall be incidental and necessary to the conduct of agriculture within the district; and

D.

Public utility and service structures shall be located and constructed at such places and in such manner that they will not segment land of any one farm and will not interfere with the conduct of agriculture by limiting or interfering with the access of fields or the effectiveness and efficiency of the farmer and farm equipment including crop spraying aircraft. (See Section 17.60.080.)

(Ord. 333 (part), 2005; Ord. 241 § 13.03.330, 1998)

A.

Minimum Lot Size. Forty acres or one-sixteenth of a section if describable as a fraction of a section; except the creation of lots for residential purposes which are less than the minimum lot-size of this zone, provided:

1.

The parcel shall be created exclusively for the purpose of transfer or sale to a member of the immediate family of the land owner. The immediate family shall mean the grandchildren, children, brothers, sisters, parents or grandparents of the land owner of record.

2.

The parcel shall be not less than twenty acres.

3

The residual parcel shall be not less than twenty acres.

B.

Minimum Yard Requirements.

1.

Front yard: twenty-five feet.

2.

Side yard: ten feet.

3.

Rear yard: thirty feet.

C.

Maximum Density. One dwelling-unit per twenty acres or one-thirty-second of a section if describable as a fraction of a section.

(Ord. 333 (part), 2005; Ord. 241 § 13.03.340, 1998)

(Ord. No. 485, § 9, 6-27-2023)

The agricultural-1 and agricultural-2 districts created by this amendment are applied as shown on the maps identified as the agricultural zoning designation map which is adopted as a part of this chapter. All lands identified on this map are hereby rezoned to the designation indicated on these maps.

(Ord. 241 § 13.03.370, 1998)