Agricultural land is separated into five zoning districts, with specific Use Types, minimum lot area, and other requirements, as described below.
(a) Agricultural Intensive (A-N) Zone. The Agricultural Intensive (A-N) Zone is applied to preserve lands best suited for intensive agricultural uses typically dependent on higher quality soils, water availability, and relatively flat topography. The purpose of the zone is to promote those uses, while preventing the encroachment of nonagricultural uses. Uses in the A-N Zone are primarily limited to intensive agricultural production and other activities compatible with agricultural uses. This includes allowing agriculturally-related support uses, excluding incompatible uses, and protecting the viability of the family farm. Minimum lot size for newly created parcels(1) in the A-N Zone is forty (40) acres for irrigated parcels primarily planted in permanent crops, such as orchards or vineyards; eighty (80) acres for irrigated parcels that are cultivated; one hundred sixty (160) acres for parcels that are generally uncultivated and/or not irrigated.
(1) Minimum parcel size requirements apply to the creation of new parcels and do not affect the status of any previously existing legal parcel regardless of acreage.
(b) Agricultural Extensive (A-X) Zone. The Agricultural Extensive (A-X) Zone is applied to protect and preserve lands that are typically less dependent on high soil quality and available water for irrigation. Such lands require considerably larger parcel sizes to allow extensive agricultural activities such as livestock and ranching operations, and dry land farming. These lands may also be used for open space functions that are often connected with foothill and wetlands locations, such as grazing and pasture land, and wildlife habitat and recreational areas. Minimum lot size for newly created parcels in the A-X Zone is one hundred sixty (160) acres for dry land farming and three hundred twenty (320) acres for rangeland.
(c) Agricultural Commercial (A-C) Zone. The Agricultural Commercial (A-C) Zone is applied to existing and planned commercial uses in the agricultural areas. The Agricultural Commercial Use Types set forth in Section 8-2.303(c) and Table 8-2.304(c) do not require rezoning to the A-C Zone. The Agricultural Commercial Zone is to be applied only when the primary use of the property is for significant commercial agricultural activities. The commercial activities must be compatible with and enhance the primary agricultural use of the greater area. Maximum parcel size in the A-C Zone shall be determined by the existing or proposed use, and shall have a minimum parcel size of one (1) acre, and a maximum parcel size of twenty (20) acres.
(d) Agricultural Industrial (A-I) Zone. The Agricultural Industrial (A-I) Zone is applied to land in the rural areas for more intensive processing and industrial-type uses, which are directly related to the local agricultural industry. Minimum parcel size in the A-I Zone shall be adequate enough to support the use, with a minimum of five (5) acres.
(e) Agricultural Residential (A-R) Zone. The Agricultural Residential (A-R) Zone shall be applied only to those lots created through a subdivision approved under the Clustered Agricultural Housing Ordinance (see Section 8-2.403). Minimum parcel size in the A-R Zone is two and one-half (2.5) acres. The maximum parcel size can be increased to four (4.0) acres to accommodate an agricultural buffer or farm worker housing.
(f) Overlay Zones. In addition to the five (5) zones identified above, there are seven (7) overlay zones that may be combined with the underlying agricultural zone districts. The overlay districts are described in Article 4 (Special Agricultural Regulations) and Article 9 (Specific Plan and Overlay Zones).
(Ord. 1445, eff. August 14, 2014)