(A) Purpose and findings. This section established definitions, permitted areas, and landscaping standards for agricultural crop uses. The purpose and intent of this section is to:
(1) Promote the health, safety and general welfare of the public by regulating agricultural crops throughout the city;
(2) Minimize the impacts of agricultural uses on surrounding areas by establishing standards for location, maintenance, and compatibility;
(3) Encourage the location and collocation of agricultural uses on larger parcels of land, thereby minimizing visual aesthetic and public safety impacts and effects upon the natural environment and wildlife; and
(4) Protect the character, scale, stability and aesthetic quality of the residential and commercial districts of the city by imposing certain reasonable restrictions on certain agricultural uses.
(B) Applicability. This section applies to all parcels of land within the corporate limits of the city, including all platted subdivisions within a one and a half mile radius of the corporate limits of the city which otherwise fall within the city building and/or zoning jurisdiction.
(C) Definitions. For this section, the following terms shall be defined as written unless context indicates or requires a different meaning.
AGRICULTURAL CROP. Cultivated plants or agricultural produce, such as grain, vegetables, or fruit, considered as a group, which are intentionally and purposefully planted, grown, and harvested.
HAY. Any plant which is purposely cultivated, grown, cut, dried, and baled to be used as or sold for animal feed.
(D) Procedures.
(1) All crops regulated by this section must be cultivated and purpose-grown as an agricultural crop. Native plants, including all grasses except orchard grass, annual ryegrass, sudan grass, and timothy, are prohibited from being grown and/or harvested as any type of crop.
(2) Agricultural uses including crop and/or hay production are permitted in any zoning district, except that no agricultural crop and/or hay use shall be permitted in the D-Downtown District.
(E) Standards.
(1) The minimum size for any parcel of land on which there is an agricultural use shall be three acres.
(2) A buffer yard of five feet is required on each side of any agricultural or hay crop abutting any parcel zoned in any residential or commercial zone.
(3) A buffer yard of 15 feet is required on all street-facing sides on any parcel on which any crop is grown.
(4) Any buffer yard required by this section shall be of any non-crop grass, and shall be mowed and maintained in accordance with § 94.10 of the city code.
(F) Exceptions. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to private vegetable, fruit, and/or flower gardens on private property. See Section 302.4, 2009 Edition, of the International Property Maintenance Code.
(Ord. 3113, passed 10-11-2016)