It is recognized that the public health and welfare of the citizens of Watson Township, Allegan County, the State of Michigan, and the United States are greatly dependent upon the sustenance and economic benefits provided by a viable agriculture industry. The regulations of the "A-1" District are intended to ensure that land areas within Watson Township which are well suited for production of food and fiber are retained for such production, unimpeded by the establishment of incompatible uses which would hinder farm operations and irretrievably deplete agricultural lands.

In establishing A-1 District, it is acknowledged that agriculture is a specialized form of industry characterized by the production, through biological and botanical processes, of saleable farm products as a result of the combination of raw materials (soils, seeds, plants, water, and nutrients), manpower (farm labor and machinery), and energy (solar and power equipment).

Other specific purposes for which this district is established include:

1. To preserve woodlands and wetlands associated with farms which because of their natural physical features, are useful as water retention, surface water purification and groundwater recharge areas, and as habitat for plant and animal life; and which have an important aesthetic and scenic value which contributes to the unique character of the Township.
2. To provide the basis for land tax assessments which reflect its existing agricultural nature and owing to these regulations, its limited use for other purposes.
3. To prevent the conversion of agricultural land to non-farm development which when unregulated, unnecessarily increases the cost of public services to all citizens and results in the premature divestiture in agriculture.
4. To protect farmland from speculative increases in land values.
5. To prevent loss of farmland.
6. To lessen conflicts between agricultural activities and residences.
7. To discourage encroachment of urban and suburban services into agricultural areas.
8. To encourage long-term investment in improvements needed to maintain and expand agricultural production by creating a stable environment for such production.
9. To reduce the amount of land consumed in rural areas for nonagricultural use.
10. To prevent intrusion of uses into farm areas which are incompatible with general farming activities.
11. To permit services and uses which are necessary to support farming activities.
12. To provide for a limited amount of non-farm dwelling units in agricultural zones.

Land in the A-1 District may be used for the following permitted uses: (Amended Ord. 2003-1, Adopted 5/1/03, Effective 5/20/03)

1. Commercial Agriculture
2. Game and Wildlife Preserves
3. Dairy Farms
4. Single Family Farm and Non-Farm Dwellings
5. Nature Preserves
6. Farm Buildings
7. Greenhouses, Nurseries, Orchards, Blueberries and Vineyards
8. Apiaries, Hatcheries
9. Poultry Operations
10. Essential Service utilities, poles and fixtures (Reference Section 22.04)
11. Private Stables and Commercial boarding, breeding and animal training stables not involving riding or riding and training lessons
12. Uses Customarily Accessory to Farm Operations
13. Customary residential accessory buildings and structures
14. Roadside market stands as defined in Section 3.32
15. Cemeteries, public and private
16. Real estate signs, name plate signs, identifying signs
17. The conversion of existing older single family dwellings for two (2) family purposes. Older shall be defined as dwelling units totally constructed prior to 1950, and which exceed fifteen hundred (1,500) square feet of usable floor area.
18. Home occupations, Type I (Ref. Section 22.15)
19. Day Care - Family and Group Homes.
20. Religious Institutions and Places of Religious Assembly subject to the following standards.
    1. Facilities shall be located on a lot or parcel of land having a minimum area of two (2) acres and a minimum lot width of two hundred (200) feet as measured at the front property line.
    2. There shall be side and rear yard building setbacks of at least fifty (50) feet and a front yard setback of at least one hundred (100) feet.
    3. All parking areas shall be setback at least ten (10) feet from each front, side and rear property line.
    4. The provisions of Chapter 18 "Parking and Loading" and Chapter 16 "Signs" shall apply.
    5. Site plan review and approval under the procedures and standards of Chapter 14 is required.
21. Open space preservation Projects as regulated under Chapter 12
22. Public Schools

No residential building shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height. All other buildings and structures shall not exceed their usual and customary height.

Buildings and structures shall not be erected or enlarged unless the following requirements are provided and maintained:

1. Front Yard. For parcels on having frontage on a "state highway", "county primary" or "county local road", as classified on the Official Road Map of Allegan County, the minimum required front yard building setback shall be 50 feet Buildings and structures existing at the date of adoption of this Ordinance amendment which have a front yard building setback of less than 50 feet shall be permitted to expand, provided such expansion is no closer to the street right of way line than the existing building or structures. For all lots and parcels having frontage on any "other road" as classified on the Official Road Map of Allegan County, there shall be a front yard building setback of not less than thirty (30) feet except that the provisions of Section 20.04 (e) shall apply to lots developed on private streets Corner lots and double frontage lots shall comply with the front yard requirements of each street (ref. Section 22.11). (Amended Ord. 2007-2Z, effective 12-25-07)
2. Side Yard. For all principal buildings, there shall be a minimum side yard of seven (7) feet from any side lot line and a combined total of at least twenty (20) feet for the two side yards. Buildings on corner lots shall maintain a setback of thirty (30) feet from the right-of-way lines along each street.
3. Rear Yard. There shall be a rear yard of not less than twenty-five (25) feet.
4. Lot Area. (Amended Ord 2000-4Z, 5/23/00)
   1. Minimum Lot Area. For all dwelling units in the A-1 District, the minimum lot area shall be 43,560 square feet (1 acre).
   2. Exempt Parcels. Any parcel or tract of land containing a minimum of 40 acres may be used for a single family residence and permitted agricultural activities and is exempt from the maximum lot area requirements outlined in sub-paragraph 5.04(d) below.
   3. Maximum Lot Area. For non-exempt parcels intended to support residential dwellings, the maximum lot area shall be 87,120 square feet (2 acres). This maximum area requirement may only be exceeded under the following circumstances:
      1. An increased lot area is needed to accommodate a septic system as required by the Allegan County Health Department, or
      2. An increased lot area is a result of minor property line adjustments enabling the logical use of a natural or other existing physical feature as a property boundary. Such increased lot area may not be of sufficient size to enable the creation of an additional conforming and otherwise buildable lot by a subsequent land division.
      3. An increased lot area is necessary to achieve required yard areas and setbacks adjacent to a dwelling or outbuilding and/or a grouping of buildings such as a farmstead already existing as of the effective date of this amendment.
      4. The tract is the remnant parent parcel.
   4. For all lots and parcels of less than 40 acres that are created after March 23, 2000, the calculation of minimum lot area as required herein shall exclude areas devoted to public street right of way or private streets easements.
5. Lot Width and Frontage. Every lot created to support a dwelling unit, either farm or non-farm, shall have a minimum lot width throughout the entire parcel of two hundred (200) feet, provided that any lot existing as of March 21, 1991 may have a minimum lot width throughout the entire parcel of not less than one hundred fifty (150) feet. The required lot width and frontage shall abut a public road or street established and dedicated prior to the effective date of this amendment. (Amended Ord. 2000-4Z, 5/23/00)
6. Driveways. The driveway serving a lot shall be at least eighty (80) feet from the intersection of two or more roads.
7. Streets. Private streets and public streets constructed and dedicated for the express purpose of creating and providing access to non-farm residential parcels are prohibited in this district. The provision shall not be construed to prevent the extension of a County local road, as described in Section 4 of Act 51 of 1951, in existence as of the effective date of this ordinance. (Amended Ord. 2000-4Z, 5/23/00)

Single family dwelling units in the "A-1" District shall have a minimum of nine hundred sixty (960) square feet of usable floor area.

The following uses may be permitted as special uses when approval is obtained from the Planning Commission. Such uses are subject to the provisions of Chapter 15 and all general and specific standards contained therein: (Amended Ord. 2003-1, Adopted 5/1/03, Effective 5/20/03)

1. Agricultural service establishments such as feed and fertilizer sales, farm equipment sales, and services
2. Agricultural labor housing,
3. Self-storage, mini storage facilities
4. Tack shops
5. Essential service structures such as telephone exchange and/or repeater buildings, electrical sub-stations, gas regulator stations and buildings, subject to the provisions of Section 22.04.
6. Commercial stables that include riding and/or riding lessons
7. Home occupations, Type II (Ref. Section 22.15.)
8. Towers and communications facilities, subject to Chapters 15 and 21.
9. Kennels (5 or more animals)
10. Mineral extraction, sand, gravel, soil removal and processing subject to Chapters 15 and 17.
11. Animal hospitals, veterinary clinics
12. Airports and landing fields
13. Archery and firearm practice ranges, outdoor
14. Mobile Homes for Temporary Accessory Dwellings in accordance with Section 15.04 q. (Amended Ord # 06012017-Adopted 6/1/2017- Effective 6/16/2017)

1. The number of parcels that may be used for building development purposes shall be limited within the A-1 District based on the gross area of the tract of land to be divided as described below and as contained in Table 5-1.
   
   The division of parent parcels and tracts of land may not result in a number of parcels that exceeds the sum of the following as applicable;
   1. For the first 39.99 acres or fraction thereof that existed on or before March 21, 1991, 2 parcels.
   2. For each whole 10 acres and any fraction thereof in excess of the first 40 acres, 1 additional parcel.
      
      Table 5-1
      Permitted Building Lots

      Parent Parcel size (acres)	Allotted Building Lots created by land divisions	Parent Parcel size (acres)	Allotted Building Lots created by land divisions
      Less than 39.99	2	120.0 to 129.99	10
      40 to 49.99	3	130.0 to 130.99	11
      50 to 59.99	4	140 to 140.99	12
      60 to 69.99	5	150.0 to 150.99	13
      70 to 79.99	6	160.0 to 160.99	14
      80 to 89.99	7	170.0 to 170.99	15
      90 to 99.99	8	180.00 to 189.99	16
      110.0 to 119.99	9	190.00 to 199.99	17

2. In addition to the building lots allowed under the above Section 5.07(a), any parent parcel existing on or before MARCH 21, 1991 that supported a single family dwelling as of that date may be divided to create one additional building lot provided that each shall comply with the lot size requirements for single family dwellings outlined in Section 5.04(d) above.
3. After a period of 10 years, commenced on the date of recording of the first split, a parcel created under the above requirements will be considered a new parent parcel. At such time, it and the remaining portions of the original parent parcel may again be split to create additional building lots in accordance with the above requirements, provided that such splitting complies with the minimum area requirements of this ordinance and the State Land Division Act.

(Added Ord. 2000-4Z, 5/23/00)

The following procedures shall be followed to ensure the proper administration and monitoring of building lot splits within the A-1 District.

1. An official map indicating existing parcels, parcel numbers and land ownership along with an official register shall be created concurrent with the adoption of this ordinance.
2. An allotment of non-exempt lots possible under this ordinance shall be made for each tract in the A-1 district.
3. As allotments of non-exempt building lots are taken, the official map and register shall be updated.
4. The official map shall be maintained by the Township Clerk or an official designated by the Clerk and copies will be made available for inspection by the public.

(Added Ord 2000-4Z, 5/23/00)

In the A-1 Agricultural Conservation District, all parcels created exempt from platting, all lots platted under the State land Division Act as amended and all lots or building sites created under the Condominium Act, PA 59 of 1978 as amended must have their required lot width on established public roadways which existed as of January 1, 2000.

(Added Ord 2000-4Z, 5/23/00)