§ 24-12. Purpose of the agriculture zones.

A.

Agriculture (AG). The purpose of the AG zone is to support, protect, and maintain a viable, long- term agricultural sector in Butte County. Standards for the AG zone maintain the vitality of the agricultural sector by retaining parcel sizes necessary to sustain viable agricultural operations, protecting agricultural practices and activities by minimizing land-use conflicts, and protecting agricultural resources by regulating land uses and development intensities in agricultural areas. Permitted uses include crop cultivation, animal grazing, stock ponds, and agricultural processing. More intensive agricultural activities, such as animal processing, dairies, hog farms, stables, forestry and logging, and mining and oil extraction, are permitted with the approval of a Conditional Use Permit. One (1) single-family home and one (1) second unit and accessory dwelling unit is permitted on each legally established parcel within the AG zone, and residential uses for agricultural employees are permitted as an accessory use within the AG zone. The minimum permitted parcel size in the AG zone ranges from twenty (20) acres to one hundred sixty (160) acres. The AG zone implements the Agriculture land use designation in the General Plan.

B.

Agriculture Services (AS). The purpose of the AS zone is to protect, maintain, promote, and enhance agriculture as a viable, long-term economic sector by accommodating agricultural uses or compatible commercial and light industrial uses that directly support agricultural activities within the county. Standards for the AS zone are intended to allow most agricultural uses allowed in the AG zone while encouraging new, compatible support industries and operations, and to protect agricultural and other neighboring land uses by minimizing conflicts. Agricultural support uses permitted as-of-right in the AS zone include uses with minimal potential impacts on adjacent parcels, such as agricultural equipment sales and rental, light manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution and storage. Agricultural support uses that are more likely to impact adjacent parcels, such as agricultural vehicle repair and heavier manufacturing, require the approval of a Conditional Use Permit. Residential uses arc not permitted in the AS zone, except caretaker quarters as an accessory use, which requires an Administrative Use Permit. The maximum permitted floor area ratio in the AS zone is eight-tenths (0.8). The AS zone implements the Agriculture Services land use designation in the General Plan.

(Ord. No. 4062, § 1, 9-10-13; Ord. No. 4132 , § 1(Att. A), 9-12-17; Ord. No. 4134 , § 1(Att. A), 9-26-17)