A.

The AG district is established for the purposes of:

1.

Preserving, promoting, maintaining, and enhancing the use of land for commercial agricultural purposes;

2.

Stabilizing increases in public expenditures for such services as roads and road maintenance, police and fire protection, and schools.

3.

Protecting and preserving natural resource areas;

4.

Preventing scattered and leap-frog non-farm growth.

B.

This district is designed to protect and preserve prime agricultural areas for continued agricultural and agriculturally oriented uses. The loss of this natural resource 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 supplemental nutrients to provide equal productivity.

C.

The standards and densities prescribed for this district are intended to preserve the open character of the area and protect the business of agriculture. This district is intended not to regulate agricultural uses, but to regulate those uses which threaten agriculture. The regulatory intent 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.

D.

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, raising livestock and grazing;

3.

Other lands which are integral parts of such farm operations;

4.

Lands used to produce specialty crops such as nuts, mint, sod, fruits, vegetables, et al.

5.

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

The following uses are permitted in the AG district:

A.

Aquaculture.

B.

Beekeeping.

C.

Commercial grain storage and drying.

D.

Dairying.

E.

Dams and flowages.

F.

Equestrian trails.

G.

Essential services telephone, power, etc.

H.

Farm dwellings and related structures that remain after farm consolidation may be separated from the farm lot.

I.

Feedlots.

J.

Fish farms commercial and recreational.

K.

Floriculture (cultivation of ornamental flowering plants).

L.

Forest and game management.

M.

Governmental or institutional uses such as police and fire stations, highway equipment storage, polling places, garages, sanitary sewage treatment plants, gravel pits and quarries, parks and campgrounds, airports and landing strips.

N.

Grazing.

O.

Greenhouses.

P.

Hatcheries.

Q.

Historic sites and areas.

R.

Horticulture (vegetable production).

S.

Hunting clubs.

T.

Livestock raising.

U.

Nature trails and walks.

V.

Plant nurseries and orchards.

W.

Poultry raising.

X.

Processing of agricultural products and livestock.

Y.

Public recreation areas.

Z.

Raising of grain, grass, mint and seed crops.

AA.

Raising of tree fruit, nuts, and berries.

BB.

Religious uses such as churches and cemeteries.

CC.

Roadside stand, one per farm.

DD.

Single-family residence, site built or manufactured home.

EE.

Sod farming.

FF.

Stables and paddocks secondary to the owner's adjacent farming activity.

GG.

Temporary housing for migratory or other farm workers, provided it meets all applicable county, state, and federal regulations.

HH.

Viticulture (grape growing).

The following are conditional uses in the AG district:

A.

Bed and breakfast inn.

B.

Customary home occupation and professional office conducted within and accessory to a permitted agricultural residence, subject to all other applicable county regulations pertaining to home occupations.

C.

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

D.

Facilities used to provide veterinarian services for livestock.

E.

Fur farms.

F.

Mining.

G.

Other agricultural-related, religious, utility, institutional or governmental uses.

H.

Radio or cellular transmission or receiving tower or other similar structure.

I.

Saw mill.

J.

School.

K.

Single-family dwelling or manufactured home not exceeding one per 25 acres per farm for occupancy by family members of the farm owner, or a person earning a substantial portion of his livelihood from the farm operation. The farm tract remaining after such a subdivision must meet the minimum requirements for this district.

L.

Stables and paddocks independent of surrounding farming activity.

M.

The sale and service of machinery used in agricultural production.

N.

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

O.

Solar farms that satisfy the criteria of article V of chapter 70 of the county code of ordinances governing standards for solar farms and any other ordinances or conditions applicable to solar farms.

(Ord. of 4-19-16(1), § 1)

By their very nature, some agricultural activities generate noises, odors and insect pests which are detrimental to nearby land uses/occupants. To the extent they are a function of the size of the specific agricultural activity, the adverse or negative efforts of some of these noises, odors and insects can be mitigated somewhat by distance. For the purpose of mitigating said adverse and negative impacts, minimum distances between agricultural activities and surrounding land uses are hereby established (sections 11.05 and 11.06) on the basis of low and high density agricultural operations.

A.

Farm animal operations of sizes smaller or equal to the following thresholds are classified as low density:

B.

All low density farm animal operations constructed or expanded adjacent to an existing, noncompatible land use (e.g., residential) shall construct all buildings and fencing used for animal confinement (e.g., poultry house, farrowing house) at least 150 feet from the centerline of an adjoining public road, and 200 feet from the property line of the adjoining, noncompatible land use. Confinement fencing is not to be confused with boundary fencing, the latter of which may be constructed along the right-of-way and property line. The area between confinement fencing and boundary fencing may be used for row crop, vegetable or orchard production, or pasture. In the event said area is used for pasture it shall not be stocked at a rate higher than recommended by generally accepted animal husbandry practices for open grazing of the specific animal species. Where said area is grazed, fencing, as necessary, shall be erected around any surface feature, e.g., bog, to prevent livestock from congregating along boundary fencing adjacent to the property line of a noncompatible land use. Livestock catch pens shall be allowed in the grazing area, provided the specific site does not retain water.

C.

The site(s) used for temporary storage or treatment of any waste or by-product of a low density farm animal operation shall be located at least 150 feet from the center line of an adjoining public road, and at least 200 feet from the property line of the adjoining, noncompatible land use.

D.

Machinery and equipment used to ventilate animal confinement buildings must be installed in such a way that air removed from said buildings is directed away from nearby development(s).

E.

Any development proposed for a site adjacent to and not compatible with an existing low density farm animal operation or row-crop operation shall be constructed at least 150 feet from the centerline of the adjoining public road when said development fronts the low density from animal operation or row-crop operation, and 200 feet from the adjoining property line, when said development is adjacent to the low density farm animal operation or row-crop operation.

A.

Farm animal operations of sizes greater than the thresholds identified in section 11.05 (low density farm animal operations) are classified as high density farm animal operations.

B.

High density farm animal operations initiated, constructed or expanded adjacent to an existing, noncompatible land use (e.g., residential) shall construct farm buildings and fencing used for animal confinement (e.g., poultry house, farrowing house, feedlot) at least 1,500 feet from the center line of an adjoining public road, and 1,500 feet from the property line of the adjoining, noncompatible land use. Confinement fencing is not to be confused with boundary fencing, the latter of which may be constructed along the right-of-way and property line. The area between confinement fencing and boundary fencing may be used for row crop, vegetable or orchard production, or pasture. In the event said area is used for pasture it shall not be stocked at a rate higher than recommended by generally accepted animal husbandry practices for open grazing of the specific animal species. Where said area is grazed, fencing, as necessary, shall be erected around any surface feature, e.g., bog, to prevent livestock from congregating along boundary fencing adjacent to the property line of a noncompatible land use. Livestock catch pens shall be allowed in this grazing area provided the specific site does not retain water.

C.

Any site(s) used for temporary storage, disposal or active or passive treatment of any waste or by-product of a high density farm animal operation shall be located at least 1,500 feet from the center line of an adjoining public road, and at least 1,500 feet from the property line of the adjoining, noncompatible land use.

D.

Machinery and equipment used to ventilate animal confinement buildings must be installed in such a way that air removed from said buildings is directed away from nearby development(s).

E.

Any development proposed for a site adjacent to and noncompatible with an existing high density farm animal operation shall be constructed at least 1,500 feet from the centerline of the adjoining road, when said development fronts the high density operation, and 1,500 feet from the adjoining property line when said development is adjacent to the high density operation.

AG AGRICULTURE DISTRICT

The ten acre minimum lot size requirement as set forth in section 11.07 of this article shall not apply to a transfer of a minimum of five acres of property subject to either a bona fide agricultural purpose covenant (agricultural preferential assessment) pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 48-5-7.1 or a bona fide conservation use covenant pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 48-5-7.4 (conservation use covenant). Such transferred property shall be used solely for single family residential purposes, starting within one year of the date of transfer and continuing for the remainder of said covenant, and said residence shall be occupied by a person who is related within the fourth degree of civil reckoning to an owner of the property subject to said covenant.

(Amd. of 6-10-04)