(A)   (1)   The AG-1 District is established to conserve farmland and to encourage continued agricultural activities, thereby helping to ensure that sustainable agriculture will continue as a long term land use and a viable economic activity within the District. The AG-1 District is also established to preserve natural features and the rural landscape, while allowing low density residential development that minimizes its impact on agricultural land, farming operations, and sensitive environmental features. The preferred use in the AG-1 District is agriculture.

      (2)   The District is intended to permit a range of uses related to agriculture, to encourage preservation of large blocks of farmland, and to permanently protect from development the tracts of land which remain after permitted residential development has occurred.

   (B)   More specifically, the District is established to severely restrict non-farm development in predominantly agricultural areas in order to:

      (1)   Preserve productive agricultural land for continued food and fiber production;

      (2)   Protect productive farms from encroachment by incompatible non-farm uses;

      (3)   Maintain the existing agricultural processing and related service industries; and

      (4)   Preserve the maximum freedom of operation for those legitimate agricultural purposes permitted in this District.

(Ord. passed 5-16-2023)

   The following are permitted uses in the AG-1 District:

   (A)   Agriculture;

   (B)   Dwelling, single-family detached (one per tax parcel);

   (C)   Home occupation, minor;

   (D)   Private stable;

   (E)   Roadside stand offering for sale only products grown on the premises;

   (F)   Transmission and distribution lines, and pipelines of public utility companies within existing public rights-of-way;

   (G)   Public parks and forest preserves;

   (H)   Uses customarily accessory to farm operations; and

   (I)   Any other similar uses deemed to be consistent.

(Ord. passed 5-16-2023)

   The following are permitted accessory uses in the AG-1 District:

   (A)   Small wind energy systems;

   (B)   Solar, private; and

   (C)   Other uses incidental to a permitted use.

(Ord. passed 5-16-2023)

   The following are special uses in the AG-1 District when authorized:

   (A)   Airstrips/runways and heliports;

   (B)   Aircraft hangars/tie downs;

   (C)   Agribusiness;

   (D)   Battery energy storage system (BESS);

   (E)   Bulk storage of fuel and fertilizers;

   (F)   Cemetery;

   (G)   Churches;

   (H)   Commercial excavation of natural materials and improvements of a stream, lake river channel, and removal of dirt and/or topsoil, quarry, or borrow pits;

   (I)   Commercial solar energy facility;

   (J)   Commercial wind energy facility;

   (K)   Daycare home;

   (L)   Density increase for farm dwellings on a single 40-acre parcel when 40 acres per dwelling requirement is met on an entire farmstead;

   (M)   Government buildings;

   (N)   Grain elevator;

   (O)   Home occupation, major;

   (P)   Kennels;

   (Q)   Mobile home dwelling for a period of one year with the right of renewal for additional periods of one year for those instances where a unique and substantial hardship is found to be in existence for the protection of property or for the shelter of an immediate blood relative with a severe physical condition, with appropriate documentation;

   (R)   Large wind energy system;

   (S)   Recreational use, seasonal;

   (T)   Public stable;

   (U)   Recreational camps;

   (V)   Schools;

   (W)   Rural residential building lot; and

   (X)   Any other similar use deemed to be consistent by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

(Ord. passed 5-16-2023)

   No structure shall exceed two and one-half stories or 35 feet for the principle structure.

(Ord. passed 5-16-2023)

   The following minimum requirements shall be met for primary structures. Accessory structures shall meet the requirements of § 154.039.

 

 

(Ord. passed 5-16-2023)