(A) Purpose. The residential suburban farms district is intended to provide open land area for orderly residential growth, continued agricultural use and residential activities of a rural character in areas that are presently without public water and sewerage facilities and are likely to remain without such services for an extended period of time. Such areas have significant natural features and unique natural resources that should be preserved and enforced in the interest of property values and the tax base of the township. This district is also established to provide transition between areas developed as farms and farm residences and more urban land use patterns.
(B) Uses permitted. No building or structure, or part thereof, shall be erected, altered, or used, and no land shall be used except for 1 or more of the following:
(1) Single-family detached dwelling;
(2) General or specialized farming, truck gardening, greenhouses, and nurseries, provided that no commercial butchering shall be done on the farm other than of animals raised on the farm. Further, farms devoted to the housing or breeding of horses, including horse training facilities and other farm animals including cattle, swine, sheep or goats, shall have a minimum of 10 acres. For parcels having an area of less than 20 acres, the kennels or pens shall not be closer than 200 feet from all other residences. In cases where there is no residence on the adjacent parcel, the kennels or pens location shall be based on the assumption that the residence would be located at the minimum side yard setback line (see illustration in § 152.105). Farmers are permitted to pasteurize milk from their own farms and that from not more than 3 other farms;
(3) A roadside stand may be built to the front property line, provided:
(a) That the structure shall be used solely by the owner, manager or tenant of the land on which it is located for the sale of produce grown on the land. No produce shall be sold on the state or county road right-of-way; and
(b) That adequate off-street parking shall be provided and the owner or operator of the stand will not permit the customers to stand or park on the public right-of-way.
(4) Adult foster care family home;
(5) Adult foster care small group home;
(6) Family day care home;
(7) Foster family home;
(8) Foster family group home;
(9) Home occupations; and
(10) Accessory buildings when located in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
(C) Principal uses permitted subject to special conditions. The following special condition uses shall be permitted subject to review and approval by the Planning Commission and Township Board, and further subject to any and all reasonable conditions which may be imposed in accordance with §§ 152.130 through 152.136 and §§ 152.150 through 152.152.
(1) Greenhouses;
(2) Tree and shrub nurseries;
(3) Adult foster care, large group homes and congregate cave facilities;
(4) Group day care home;
(5) Small aircraft airports and landing fields;
(6) Two-unit dwellings;
(7) Child care facilities;
(8) Golf courses;
(9) Temporary residence/structure;
(10) Public libraries, cemeteries, governmental museums, fire stations, municipal buildings;
(11) Public, parochial, and private elementary, intermediate and/or high schools, and institutions of higher learning, offering courses in general education;
(12) Churches;
(13) Bed and breakfast operations;
(14) Any other use which is determined by the Planning Commission to be of the same general character as, and compatible with, the above permitted uses.
(D) Additional standards and regulations. The following list of references includes additional standards and regulations applicable to any proposed use in this district:
(1) § 152.100 Schedule of Regulations;
(2) § 152.031 Performance Standards;
(5) § 152.077 Screening of Trash Storage Areas;
(6) § 152.078 Landscaping; and
(7) § 152.085 Signs.
(Ord. Art. X, passed 5-22-1997; Am. Ord. 454, passed 10-10-2013; Am. Ord. 462, passed 8-14-2014)
Local legislation reference:
Farm animals as permitted use, see also Resolution 98-0312-01A, passed 3-12-1998