(A) Introduction. These provisions are established to protect suitable land for active agricultural production in the county. Agricultural production is recognized as the primary economic activity in the county, and certain lands are particularly suited to such uses because of their size, configuration, soil, topography, and locations in relation to other land uses. This master plan is intended to prevent the conversion of such agricultural lands to urban uses and to promote proper land utilization.
(B) General provisions.
(1) Permitted uses.
(a) Field crop farm;
(b) Truck crop farm;
(c) Animal husbandry;
(d) Kennels;
(e) Stables;
(f) Forestry;
(g) Veterinary office;
(h) Nursery or greenhouse;
(i) Grazing;
(j) Public utilities;
(k) Feed stores, excluding the milling or grinding of any feed for commercial purposes;
(l) Confined feeding operations;
(m) Fertilizer storage;
(n) Other uses identified in permitted land use table; and
(o) Estate residential.
(2) Signs intended to be seen outside the lot lines.
(a) Non-flashing illuminated on-premises signs are permitted.
(b) Not more than one 12-foot sign per principal use is permitted.
(c) No sign shall project beyond a lot line, obstruct in any way a driver’s vision of the road or hinder his or her passage in any way. Further, no sign shall be placed so as to hinder or obstruct any pedestrian path.
(3) Visibility at intersections. On a corner lot, nothing shall be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow in such a manner as to materially impede visions between a height of two and one-half to ten feet above the centerline grades of the intersecting streets in the areas bounded by the street lines of such corner lots and a line joining points along said street lines 50 feet from the point of the intersection.
(4) Fences, walls and hedges. Notwithstanding other provisions of these guidelines, fences, walls and hedges may be permitted in any yard or along the edge of any yard, providing that driveway entrances are not shielded by fences, walls and hedges in such a way as to obstruct the view of a driver entering a public road from the driveway.
(5) Permitted accessory uses and structures.
(a) Single-family dwellings (estate residential with one single-family dwelling per five acre parcel);
(b) Roadside stand;
(c) Truck farm market;
(d) Home occupation;
(e) Primary farm processing;
(f) Any use customarily accessory to any permitted use;
(g) Grain storage;
(h) Storage and management of animal wastes; and
(i) Barns, tool sheds and implement storage buildings.
(6) Development standards.
(a) The minimum parcel size for all uses in the agriculture district shall be five acres.
(b) The maximum density for residential use shall be one permitted residential structure for each five acres.
(7) Setback requirements. Setback requirements for confined feeding operations must conform to I.C. 13-1-5.7-1.
(8) High water point. The high water point of a pond and/or the base of the pond/dam shall be setback 45 feet from any property line.
(9) Storage. Abandoned, junked, inoperable or derelict vehicles, scrap or building debris may not be stored unless within a building or structure.
(BC Ord. passed 1-22-2003; BC Ord. passed 3-26-2003; BC Ord. 2004-19, passed 7-14-2004) Penalty, see § 155.999