The A-40 district is established to: a) preserve those lands either presently in agricultural use or having potential for agricultural use (based on soil characteristics, topography, microclimate, the availability of water, the cost of applying adequate water for irrigation and distance from incorporated cities); b) encourage agricultural activities, thereby helping to ensure that commercial agriculture will continue as a long term land use and a viable economic activity within the county; c) preserve natural features and the rural landscape, while allowing very low density, clustered residential development; and d) respect existing features of the rural landscape.
The preferred land use in the A-40 district is agriculture. The district is intended to permit a range of uses related to agriculture, to encourage the preservation of large blocks of farmland, and to permanently conserve tracts of land which remain after permitted residential development has occurred. Residential development shall be permitted only when it is located and designed to minimize its impact on agricultural land, farming operations, and sensitive environmental features and when it is found that the cumulative effect of residential development in the vicinity does not change the character of agriculturally used lands. (Ord. 2006-05, 6-29-2006)