Riverside County Municipal Code Ch. 12.16 Agricultural Preserves

Designated suitable areas of the county may by resolution of this board be established as agricultural preserves pursuant to the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Government Code Section 51200, et seq.), to be devoted to agricultural and compatible uses.

(Ord. 509.2 § 1, 1988)

All agricultural preserves shall be administered pursuant to the California Land Conservation Act as 1965, as now enacted or hereafter amended, and pursuant to the following uniform rules which shall apply in all agricultural preserves now or hereafter established.

(Ord. 509.2 § 2 (part), 1988)

A. The following uses are determined to be agricultural and compatible uses within an agricultural preserve, and all other uses of land are prohibited therein:

1. Agricultural use, described as any use of land for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity, consisting of any and all plant and animal products, for commercial purposes, providing such use is permitted by the applicable zoning and not prohibited by other law or ordinance;

2. A stand for display and sale of agricultural commodities produced on the premises or on other premises within the preserve;

3. Gas, electric, water and communication utility facilities, and public service facilities of like nature operated by a public agency or mutual water company;

4. Public highways;

5. Fire protection works and facilities;

6. Flood control works, including channel rectification and alteration;

7. Public works required for fish and wildlife enhancement and preservation;

8. Improvements for the primary benefit of the lands within the preserve;

9. State improvements described in Section 51293 (d) and (e) of the Government Code;

10. One-family dwellings for the use only of an owner or manager of land within the agricultural preserve, or a person employed on the land, if such use is permitted by the applicable zoning, on parcels of not less than ten (10) acres. Where the applicable zoning permits, an additional one-family dwelling (including mobilehomes), excluding the principal dwelling, shall also be allowed for each ten (10) acres gross being farmed. The additional dwelling units shall be located on a parcel being farmed and occupied by the owner, operator or employee of the farming operation as a one-family residence; provided, that:

a. The dwellings are not rented or held out for lease,

b. The dwellings are located not less than fifty (50) feet from any property line,

c. The dwellings are screened from view from the front property line by shrubs or trees,

d. The arrangement of the dwellings, sanitary facilities and utilities conforms with all of the requirements of the health department, the department of building and safety and state law,

e. The number of dwellings from employees shall not exceed four per established farming operation;

11. Farm labor camps, including temporary trailer housing, subject to the conditions of law or ordinance otherwise applicable;

12. Drying, packing or other processing of an agricultural commodity usually performed on the premises where it is produced;

13. Any use existing on the date the land is included within an agricultural preserve, but such use once discontinued for two years shall not be resumed unless permitted under these rules;

14. Any use required to be permitted by any amendment to the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 hereafter adopted;

15. Any use determined to be a compatible use in all agricultural preserves by the board of supervisors, after public hearing on ten (10) days' published notice and such other notice, if any, as they may specify. Thereafter such use shall be deemed a compatible use in any agricultural preserve;

16. Any use determined to be a compatible use in a particular agricultural preserve, based on a substantial difference in the character of the agricultural uses existing in that preserve as compared with other agricultural preserves. Such determination may be made by the board of supervisors only after public hearing on ten (10) days' published notice and such other notice, if any, as they may specify. Thereafter such use shall be deemed a compatible use within that agricultural preserve;

17. Any use of a specific parcel of land which is determined to be a compatible use as related to differences in the location and circumstances of the owners of land in agricultural or compatible uses within the affected preserve and which is based on character, location or other particular circumstances of the specific parcel which are not applicable generally to other lands within that preserve. Such determination may be made by the board of supervisors only after public hearing on ten (10) days' published notice and such other notice, if any, as they may specify.

(Ord. 509.2 § 2 (part), 1988)