Chapter 17.12 — AG-3 AGRICULTURAL/EL CAMINO DISTRICT

A.

The purpose of the AG-3, Agricultural/El Camino district classification is to implement the Valley Floor Agriculture - El Camino lands designation of the Land Use element of the Tehama County General Plan, applicable within the boundaries of the El Camino Irrigation District, by recognizing lands which are suited for, and are appropriately retained for, rural residential living opportunities; the small-scale production of orchard and field crops and the limited keeping of animals. This district classification includes lands with present or future potential for small-farm and hobby-farm agricultural production, the limited keeping and grazing of animals, and agricultural supporting land uses. Permitted non-agricultural uses within this district, to the greatest extent possible, should be limited to rural residential dwellings, agriculture supporting land uses and land uses that will not impact agricultural and rural living uses within in the El Camino and surrounding areas.

B.

The specific regulations set out in this chapter and the general regulations set forth in Chapter 17.08 shall apply in all AG-3 districts.

C.

Unless context indicates otherwise, any reference in this Code to the EA zoning district shall be deemed to refer to the AG-2, AG-3, and AG-4 districts.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012)

17.12.020 - Uses permitted.

Except as provided in Section 17.12.100, uses permitted in an AG-3 districts shall be as follows:

A.

The primary use of lands in this district is for the production of tree, row and field crops; and nurseries and greenhouses for the propagation of plants.

B.

Secondary uses for lands in this district include the grazing of livestock; animal husbandry; and light agricultural uses as defined by Section 17.04.340, where the use does not require a use permit pursuant to Section 17.12.030.

C.

On parcels twenty acres or larger, semi-heavy agricultural uses as defined in Section 17.90.490 are permitted, where the use does not require a use permit pursuant to Section 17.12.030.

D.

Rural residential one-family dwellings, including private garages, guest cottages, and accessory buildings and uses. Except as otherwise provided in this Title, including without limitation Sections 17.08.012, 17.08.050, and 17.12.030, such one-family dwellings shall be limited to one per pre-existing legal parcel.

E.

Poultry and rabbit farming; provided, that such operations for commercial purposes shall be confined within enclosed structures on parcels of five acres or less, and further provided that poultry farms meet the standards and requirements of Chapter 17.82.

F.

Home occupations as defined in Section 17.04.280.

G.

Outdoor recreation uses such as agritourism, agri-nature tourism, collaborative agri-nature tourism events, and environmental learning tourism meeting the standards and requirements of Chapter 17.81.

H.

Agricultural homestays meeting the standards and requirements of Chapter 17.81, provided that such agricultural homestays are in conjunction with the primary agriculture production use of the property.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012; Ord. No. 2016, §§ 16, 17, 10-20-2015)

Except as provided in Section 17.12.100, the following uses shall be permitted in an AG-3 district upon securing a use permit:

A.

Heavy agricultural uses as defined by Section 17.04.330.

B.

Semi-heavy agricultural uses, as defined in Section 17.90.490, on parcels of less than twenty acres.

C.

Dairies and commercial cattle and hog feed lots.

D.

Youth ranches, educational or religious institutions, or similar uses.

E.

Additional farm labor or caretaker housing.

F.

Employee and farmworker housing exceeding the limits set pursuant to Section 17.08.012.

G.

Soil amendment projects for the treatment of "non-hazardous petroleum contaminated soils" as defined by state law and regulations.

H.

Commercial shooting ranges as defined in Section 17.04.180.

I.

Outdoor recreation uses such as agritourism, agri-nature tourism, collaborative agri-nature tourism events, and environmental learning tourism exceeding the standards and requirements of Chapter 17.81.

J.

Temporary, seasonal collaborative sales of agricultural products in accordance with state and federal standards, such as farmers' markets.

K.

Commercial and industrial uses of primary and essential service to the agricultural use of the surrounding area, including, but not limited to, the sale of fertilizers and pesticides; the sale and repair of farm equipment and machinery, and the limited manufacture of agricultural equipment and machinery.

L.

Mineral exploration which will not permanently interfere with the principal uses of the lands for agricultural purposes.

M.

Non-commercial wind generators exceeding eighty feet.

N.

Farms devoted to the hatching, raising, butchering or marketing of poultry, poultry eggs, or other poultry products exceeding the standards and requirements of Chapter 17.82.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012; Ord. No. 2016, §§ 18, 19, 10-20-2015)

17.12.040 - Yards.

Yard requirements in an AG-3 district shall be as follows:

A.

Minimum front yard, fifty feet from the centerline of roadway or twenty feet from the property line, whichever is greater.

B.

Minimum side yards, ten feet; six feet on non-conforming parcels of 10 acres or less.

C.

Minimum rear yards, twenty feet.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012)

Special requirements for and distances between buildings in an AG-3 district shall be as follows: barns, stables, chicken houses, similar accessory buildings shall not be less than fifty feet from the front building line, nor less than ten feet from any side property line nor less than forty feet from any existing dwelling unit located on an adjacent parcel to the proposed building location.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012)

17.12.060 - Lots.

A.

Except as provided in Section 17.12.100, minimum lot area in an AG-3 district shall be five gross acres.

B.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, no subdivision of lands within an AG-3 district shall be approved utilizing cluster development or density-averaging techniques, or otherwise, that results in any parcel of land being less than five gross acres in size.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012)

Maximum building height in an AG-3 district shall be:

A.

Two and one-half stories, but not to exceed thirty-five feet except as provided in subdivisions B. and C.

B.

Grain silos and other agricultural product storage and processing structures are limited to sixty feet.

C.

Non-commercial wind generators accessory to a permitted use are limited to eighty feet, except as provided in Section 17.12.030.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012)

Minimum automobile parking in an AG-3 district shall be one space for each dwelling unit, and spaces for all vehicles clear of public streets and roads for other permitted uses.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012)

Each subdivider of lands within an AG-3 district shall provide infrastructure for supplying irrigation water to the highest point on each of the parcels resulting from the subdivision (and any remainder parcel, to the extent authorized by law), at the subdivider's own cost and expense.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012)

17.12.100 - Williamson Act and Farmland Security Zone Contracted Lands.

A.

Notwithstanding Section 17.12.060, the minimum lot area for lands in an AG-3 district that are subject to a Williamson Act or Farmland Security Zone contract is forty gross acres.

B.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, any use on land subject to a Williamson Act or Farmland Security Zone contract must be consistent with Government Code sections 51200 et seq. (the Williamson Act), the terms of the Williamson Act or Farmland Security Zone contract, and any compatible use rules or determinations heretofore or hereinafter adopted by the board of supervisors. Any application for a use permit pursuant to Government Code section 51238.1, subdivision (B), for a use otherwise permitted in an AG-3 district, must be approved by the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 1972, §§ 16, 18, 10-23-2012)

Chapter 17.13 - AG-4 AGRICULTURAL/CAPAY DISTRICT