Article 5

• 5.1 Purpose: To protect the County’s agricultural soils, provide areas suitable for agriculture, and prevent development that would preclude their future use in agriculture. The following regulations shall apply in all “A” districts.

• 5.2 Performance standards: All uses permitted within this district shall be subject to the performance standards set forth in Article 41.

• (a) Agricultural uses, including crop and tree farming, livestock grazing, animal husbandry, apiaries, aviaries, except the uses indicated in Sections 5.4 and 5.5.

• (b) One (1) single-family dwelling or mobilehome subject to Section 5.18, which shall be constructed according to the residential construction standards of Section 10.20.

• (c) One (1) produce stand for the display and sale of agricultural products subject to the requirements of Section 27.3 (1).

• (d) Agricultural processing such as fruit dehydrators and packing sheds not exceeding a use area of five thousand (5,000) square feet.

• (e) Greenhouses, hothouses and incidental structures not exceeding a use area of ten thousand (10,000) square feet.

• (f) Agricultural and residential accessory uses and accessory structures; small kennels. (Ord. No. 2128, 1/14/1993)

• (g) Agricultural family dwellings and farm labor quarters as accessory uses to the agricultural use of the parcel subject to Section 5.18, and subject to the requirements of Section 27.3 (b), or Section 27.3 (g), respectively.

• (h) Prospecting, claiming, and preliminary geophysical investigations for natural resources including oil, gas, geothermal, or other mineral resources.

• (i) Game preserves. (Ord. No. 1897, 12/7/1989)

• (j) Those uses permitted in the “A” district with a zoning permit in Table A, Article 27.

• (k) Agricultural Employee Housing, as defined in Article 68 and regulated in Article 27, Section 27.13(aad) of this Chapter. (Ord. No. 3158, 2/3/2026)

5-1

• (a) Uses permitted in Section 5.3 when not in compliance with the performance standards set forth in Article 41.

• (b) Commercial dairies.

• (c) Small wineries with an annual production capacity of fifteen thousand (15,000) cases or less, including an incidental retail sales area of up to seven hundred and fifty (750) square feet for wine produced and/or bottled on the premises; Wine tasting facilities with up to seven hundred and fifty (750) square feet of retail sales area on sites with a minimum of ten (10) acres of planted vineyards, with or without a small winery. A restaurant up to seven hundred and fifty (750) square feet in size may be permitted accessory to a wine tasting room. Small wineries and tasting facilities may include winery and wine-related promotional events as defined in Section 68.4(s)17, and non-promotional events as defined in Section 68.4(s)16. Non-promotional events shall be subject to Departmental review after one year of operation. (Ord. No. 2947, 5/3/2011; Ord. No. 3077, 11/20/2018)

• (d) Agricultural processing such as fruit dehydrators, packing plants, canneries, polishing and packaging plants with a use area between five thousand (5,000) and fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet, including an incidental retail sales area of up to five hundred (500) square feet for products processed on the premises. (Ord. No. 2536, 8/31/2000)

• (e) Greenhouses, hothouses and incidental structures with a use area exceeding ten thousand (10,000) square feet.

• (f) Large and commercial kennels; commercial stables or riding academies. (Ord. No. 2128, 1/14/1993)

• (g) Wholesale nurseries with incidental retail sales.

• (h) Commercial aquaculture.

• (i) Large animal veterinary clinics (Ord. 1749, 7/7/1988; Ord. No. 2536, 8/31/2000)

• (j) Private fishing and hunting clubs on parcel(s) containing not less than forty (40) acres; and commercial fishing and hunting clubs on parcel(s) containing not less than one hundred (100) acres. (Ord. No. 1897, 12/7/1989)

• (k) Display and sale of agricultural products, limited to one stand exceeding six hundred (600) square feet in size per parcel. (Ord. 1749, 7/7/1988)

• (l) Commercial wood yards.

5-2

• (m) Uses which are minor additions or alterations to existing uses or structures permitted by Section 5.5, limited to an increase of twenty (20) percent of the use area or gross floor area of the structure(s).

• (n) Those uses permitted in the “A” district with a minor use permit in Table B, Article 27.

• (o) Home occupations. (Ord. No. 2536, 8/31/2000)

• (p) Agricultural service establishments primarily engaged in performing animal husbandry or horticultural services, including, but not limited to, blacksmiths, farriers, small equipment repair, irrigation services, custom meat cutting, and other ag-dependant uses which are of a similar character and not materially different to those uses listed above, with a total use area not exceeding five thousand (5,000) square feet, including an incidental retail sales area not exceeding five hundred (500) square feet. (Ord. No. 2947, 5/3/2011)

• (a) Uses permitted in Sections 5.3 and 5.4 when not in compliance with the performance standards set forth in Article 41.

• (b) Cattle and hog feed yards, veal calf feeders, and animal sales yards.

• (c) Large wineries with an annual production capacity exceeding fifteen thousand (15,000) cases including incidental retail sales of wine produced or bottled on the premises, which may include winery and wine-related promotional events as defined in Section 68.4(s)17, non-promotional events as defined in Section 68.4(s)16, and amplified outdoor public events as defined in Section 68.4(s)15. Non-promotional events and amplified outdoor public events shall be subject to Departmental review after one year of operation. A restaurant may be permitted when accessory to incidental retail sales of wine. (Ord. No. 2947, 5/3/2011; Ord. No. 3077, 11/20/2018)

• (d) Agricultural processing such as fruit dehydrators, packing plants, canneries, polishing and packaging plants exceeding a use area of fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet.

• (e) Farm labor camps housing seasonal workers on a temporary basis. (Ord. No. 2536, 8/31/2000)

• (f) Those uses permitted in the “A” district with a major use permit in Table B, Article 27.

• (g) Small wineries and wine tasting facilities as defined in Section 5.4(c) that include amplified outdoor public events as defined in Section 68.4(s)15. Amplified outdoor public events shall be subject to Departmental review after one year of operation. (Ord. No. 2947, 5/3/2011)

5-3

• 5.11 Minimum lot size: Forty (40) acres.

• 5.12 Minimum average lot width: Five hundred (500) feet.

• 5.13 Maximum length to width ratio: Five (5) to one (1).

• (a) Front yard: Thirty (30) feet from lot line, or fifty-five (55) feet from centerline of roadway, whichever is greater. Yards abutting streets are front yards.

• (b) Rear yard: Twenty-five (25) feet from lot line.

• (c) Side yard: Fifteen (15) feet from lot line.

• (d) Accessory uses: The above yards shall apply.

• (a) Principal structure: Thirty-five (35) feet.

  • (b) Accessory structure: Twenty (20) feet. (Ord. 1749, 7/7/1988)

  • (c) Agricultural accessory structures: Fifty (50) feet.

• 5.16 Parking: The following minimum parking requirements shall apply except as provided in Article 46.

  • (a) Residential use: two (2) spaces.

  • (b) Other uses: As provided for in Article 46. (Ord. No. 2128, 1/14/1993; Ord. No. 2305, 10/19/1995))

• 5.17 Signs: As provided in Article 45.

• 5.18 Notice of farming practices: Execution of a notice of farming practices shall be required as set forth in Section 4.18 for all single-family dwellings and farm labor quarters.

• 5.19 Minimum residential construction standards: All single-family dwellings except “Temporary Dwellings” and “Farm Labor Quarters” shall meet the minimum residential construction standards of the “R1” district, Section 10.20.

5-4

• 5.20 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS EXCEPTIONS: FOR EXCEPTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS OF THIS ARTICLE, SEE ARTICLE 42. (Ord. 1749, 7/7/1988)

5-5