The AG-1 Active Agriculture District was established for the purpose of preserving, promoting, maintaining, and enhancing the use of land for commercial agricultural purposes, to prevent scattered and leap-frog non-farm growth, to protect and preserve natural resource areas and to stabilize increases in public expenditures for such public services as roads and road maintenance, police and fire protection, and schools.

This district is designed to protect and preserve prime agricultural areas for continued agricultural and agriculturally oriented uses. Their loss cannot be readily compensated, since these prime agricultural areas are relatively scarce, particularly on the national level and other areas require more capital energy and nutrients to provide equal productivity. For these reasons, land should not be converted from the AG-1 district to another zoning classification unless and until there is no other land available in the city to accommodate the nonagricultural uses.

The standards and densities prescribed for this district are intended to preserve the open character of the area and thereby to protect the business of agriculture. This district is intended not to regulate agricultural uses, but to regulate those uses which threaten agriculture. The intent of these regulations for this district is to discourage subdivision of land for typical residential type lots requiring public services such as fire and police protection, paved roads, water, sewer, etc.

This district is generally intended to apply to lands in productive farm operations including:

(1)

Lands historically producing good crop yields or capable of such yields;

(2)

Lands productive for dairying, livestock raising and grazing;

(3)

Other lands which are integral parts of such farm operations;

(4)

Land used to produce specialty crops such as cranberries, mint, sod, fruits and vegetables; and

(5)

Lands capable of productive use through economically feasible improvements such as irrigation.

Permitted uses in the AG-1 district are as follows:

(a)

Beekeeping.

(b)

Dairying.

(c)

Floriculture (cultivation of ornamental flowering plants).

(d)

Grazing.

(e)

Livestock raising.

(f)

Feedlots.

(g)

Poultry raising.

(h)

Plant nurseries and orchards.

(i)

Raising of grain, grass, mint and seed crops.

(j)

Raising of tree fruit, nuts, and berries.

(k)

Sod farming.

(l)

Vegetable raising.

(m)

Viticulture (grape growing).

(n)

Forest and game management.

(o)

Nature trails and walks.

(p)

Greenhouses.

(q)

One roadside stand per farm, of not, more than 250 square feet, used solely for the sale of products produced on the premises or adjoining premises.

(r)

Single-family residences or manufactured home subject to the requirements of section 3.04 of this ordinance.

(s)

Farm dwellings and related structures that remain after farm consolidation may be subdivided from the farm lot subject to the county health department requirements.

(t)

Essential services—telephone, power, etc.

(u)

Public recreation areas.

(v)

Historic sites and areas.

(w)

Agricultural products and livestock processing plants.

(x)

Commercial grain storage and drying.

(y)

Hatcheries.

(z)

Temporary housing for migratory or other farm workers, provided it meets all applicable city regulations.

(aa)

Equestrian trails.

(bb)

Fish farms.

(cc)

Dams and flowages.

(dd)

Governmental or institutional uses such as police and fire stations, highway storage garages, solid waste disposal and sewage treatment plants, gravel pits and quarries, schools, parks and campgrounds, airports and landing strips.

(ee)

Places of worship, schools, and cemeteries.

(ff)

Nursery schools, kindergartens, or day care facilities provided that all state licensing requirements are met.

(gg)

Customary home occupations and professional offices conducted within and accessory to a permitted agricultural residence. Subject to all other applicable city regulations pertaining to home occupations.

(hh)

Fur farms.

(ii)

Stables and paddocks.

(jj)

The storage and sale of seed, feed, fertilizer and other products essential to agricultural production.

Conditional uses in the AG-1 district are as follows:

(a)

Sawmills.

(b)

Bed and breakfast inns.

(c)

The sale and service of machinery used in agricultural production.

(d)

Facilities for the centralized bulk collection, storage, and distribution of agricultural products to wholesale and retail markets.

(e)

Facilities used to provide veterinarian services for livestock.

(f)

Facilities used in processing agricultural products.

(g)

Other agricultural-related, religious, utility, institutional or governmental uses to those listed in section 8.03 which are compatible with the purposes of this district, which do not conflict with agricultural use and which are found necessary in light of alternative locations available for such uses.

(h)

Any structure over 100 feet tall.

(i)

Solar energy system (SES), ground mounted, site specific.

(Ord. of 8-7-2018)

Area, height and placement requirements in the AG-1 district are as follows:

The minimum distance between buildings on separate lots shall be 20 feet.