SECTION 25.26
AGRICULTURE AND PUBLIC BENEFIT ZONING DISTRICTS

Sections:

25.26.1    Description of Agriculture and Public Benefit Zoning Districts

25.26.2    Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements

25.26.3    General Development Regulations

25.26.1 Description of Agriculture and Public Benefit Zoning Districts

This Section provides regulations applicable to development and new land uses in the agriculture and public benefit zoning districts established by Section 25.12.2 (Zoning Districts Established). Public benefit districts are applied to land owned by the City, County, State, or Federal Governments, school districts, or private interests where governmental, educational, recreational, or other institutional facility is the principal use of the site and is sufficiently different from surrounding land uses to warrant a separate zoning district. The purposes of the individual districts are as follows:

A.    AG (Agriculture) District. The AG zoning district is intended to provide for the enhancement and preservation of agriculture. It is intended that the agriculture district restrict land uses to: livestock grazing; crop production and other activities customarily related uses to agricultural operations; and non-agricultural uses that are compatible with agricultural activities. It is also intended that the AG zoning district prohibit incompatible uses including certain residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational uses. The AG zoning district is consistent with the Agriculture land use designation identified by the General Plan.

B.    OSC (Open Space/Conservation) District. The OSC zoning district is intended for areas of the City which are environmentally sensitive or are identified by the General Plan as having significant open space value and not to be used for active recreation. The OSC zoning district is consistent with the Conservation Open Space land use designation of the General Plan.

C.    REC (Recreation) District. The REC zoning district is intended for public and private lands within the City committed to leisure and recreational uses that are primarily open space in character. Allowed uses include parks, golf courses, regional recreation facilities, and similar compatible uses. The REC zoning district is consistent with the Recreational Open Space land use designation of the General Plan.

D.    PF (Public Facilities) District. The PF zoning district is applied to lands owned and operated by the City, County, State, or Federal Governments, or school districts, where a governmental, educational, recreational, or other institutional facility is the principal use of the site. The PF zoning district may accommodate public or privately constructed uses and facilities intended for a purpose found by the City to be in the public interest. The PF zoning district is consistent with the Public Facilities land use designation of the General Plan.

25.26.2 Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements

A.    Permitted land uses. The land uses allowed by this Zoning Ordinance in agriculture and public benefit zoning districts are identified in the following tables as:

1.    “Permitted” land uses are indicated by a “P” on Table 25-13. Permitted lands uses are allowed on a property without discretion by the City, subject to compliance with all applicable provisions of this Ordinance.

2.    “Conditionally Permitted” land uses are indicated by a “C” on the tables and are allowed only with the approval of a Conditional Use Permit (Section 25.40.6). These uses are subject to all applicable provisions of this Ordinance as are permitted uses. However, the City has discretion to approve, approve with conditions, or deny a Conditional Use Permit application. The decision on a Conditional Use Permit is based upon the circumstances of an individual case and the criteria in Section 25.40.6.

B.    Uses not permitted or not listed. Land uses not permitted are those indicated by a “-” on the table. Land uses not listed on the tables are not allowed, except as provided in Section 25.10.6 (Exemptions from Zoning Ordinance Requirements).

C.    Regulations for specific uses. Where a column in the following tables includes a reference to a section number or footnote, the regulations in the referenced section or footnote apply to the use. However, provisions in other sections of this Zoning Ordinance or City Code may also apply.

D.    Ancillary Uses. Ancillary uses are those secondary activities associated with a primary land use directly associated with and supporting said primary permitted or conditionally permitted land use. Ancillary uses and activities typically require a minor portion of the square footage or space in a business premises, impose no additional impacts on land use patterns, building design, parking requirements, or outdoor storage. Examples of ancillary uses include, but are not limited to, small factory stores associated with an active manufacturing plant, on-site childcare facilities, etc.

 

 

P

Use Permitted

Table 25-13: Agriculture and Public Benefit

 

C

Conditional Use Permit

District Land Use Regulations 

 

-

Not permitted

 

Zoning District

Additional

Use

AG

OSC

REC

PF

Regulations

 

Agriculture

Agricultural accessory structure

P

C

C

C

 

Agricultural processing

C

C

-

C

 

Animal stable

C

-

-

-

 

Aquaculture

C

-

-

-

25.32.15

Crop production

C

C

-

C

Note 1

Grazing

P

P

P

P

 

Mining, surface or subsurface

C

-

-

-

 

Plant nursery - agricultural

C

-

-

-

 

Seasonal sale of produce grown on-site

P

C

-

C

Note 2

Well, commercial

C

C

-

-

 

 

Education and Training (see Note 3)

Library or museum

-

-

C

P

 

School, college or university (public)

C

-

C

P

 

School, elementary and secondary (public)

C

-

C

P

 

Zoo

-

-

C

C

 

 

 

 

P

Use Permitted

Table 25-13: Agriculture and Public Benefit

 

C

Conditional Use Permit

District Land Use Regulations (Continued)

 

-

Not permitted

 

Zoning District

Additional

Use

AG

OSC

REC

PF

Regulations

 

Entertainment and Recreation Related (see Note 3)

Athletic Club

-

-

C

-

 

Campground

-

-

C

C

 

Equestrian facility

C

C

P

C

 

Firearm or archery range

C

-

-

C

Note 4

Fish or game club

C

C

-

-

 

Golf course

-

-

C

P

 

Land preserve

P

P

P

P

 

Stadium or arena

-

-

C

P

 

Theater (indoor)

-

-

 

P

 

Theater (outdoor)

-

-

C

P

 

 

Public, Quasi-public, and Assembly Uses (see Note 3)

Cemetery or mausoleum

C

-

-

P

 

Church or other place of worship

-

-

-

P

Note 5

Community center

-

-

P

P

 

Corporation yard

-

-

-

P

 

Park, playground

P

C

P

P

 

Public safety facility

-

-

C

P

 

Utilities, Public and quasi-public - major

C

C

C

C

 

Utilities, Public and quasi-public - minor

P

P

P

P

 

 

Health and Veterinary Services

Hospital

-

-

-

P

 

 

General Services

Funeral and interment services

-

-

-

C

Note 6

Hotel and Motel

 

 

C

 

25.22.4.2

 

Office and Financial Services (see Note 3)

Offices, Government

-

-

-

P

 

 

Residential

Child day care center

-

-

-

C

 

Dwelling, single family detached

P

-

-

-

Note 7

Caretaker’s residence

C

C

-

C

Note 9

Farm labor housing

C

-

-

-

Note 8

 

Temporary and Other Uses

Animal kennel

C

-

-

-

 

Temporary uses

See Section 25.32.8

 

 

Transportation and Communication (see Note 3)

Airport

-

-

-

C

 

Antenna or communication facility

C

C

C

C

 

Helipad

C

-

C

C

 

Heliport

C

-

-

C

 

Parking facility, non-residential

-

-

P

P

 

Transit station or terminal

-

-

-

P

 

Notes:

(1)    Conditional Use Permit requirement shall be waived for properties designated Intensive Agriculture on the General Plan Map.

(2)    Produce stands not exceeding 400 sq. ft. of floor area are allowed for the seasonal sale of agricultural products grown on-site.

(3)    City regulations, standards, and design guidelines shall apply to public and quasi-public utility facilities only to the extent that the City is not preempted by Federal and State law and the State Public Utilities Commission.

(4)    In the Agricultural zoning district, a firearm/archery range shall only be allowed as an outdoor use.

(5)    Churches permitted only as a secondary use in an existing facility or on parcels of less than ten acres.

(6)    Funeral and interment services allowed only in conjunction with cemetery or mausoleum.

(7)    Only one single-family dwelling is allowed per parcel. Refer to Table 25-1 for RVL Residential Uses and Improvements.

(8)    Farm labor housing in Agricultural Districts shall be subject to the same requirements as Agricultural uses.

(9)    Use of a Caretaker’s residence as a residence can occur only in association with an active agricultural use.

(10)    In the OSC (Open Space Conservation) Zoning District, educational and/or interpretative centers require a Conditional Use Permit when developed in association with a land preserve.

(Ord. No. 2008-08, § 2; Ord. No. 2009-15, § 2; Ord. No. 2016-08, § 2; Ord. No. 2017-08, § 2; Ord. No. 2018-03, § 7.)

25.26.3 General Development Regulations

All new development, subdivisions, establishment of new land uses, and alterations to existing land uses, structures and site improvements, shall be designed and constructed in compliance with the regulations in the following table, except those activities and land uses specified in Section 25.10.6 (Exemptions from Zoning Ordinance Requirements). Additional Zoning Ordinance regulations may apply as referenced in the tables, as well as other City Code regulations, City Standards, Specifications and Details, or regulations of another local agency, special district, and State or Federal agency.

Table 25-14: Agriculture & Public Benefit District Development Regulations 

Regulations

Zoning District

Applicable

Sections & Notes

(all figures are minimums measured from property lines and in linear feet, unless otherwise indicated)

AG

OSC

REC

PF

 

Site Planning

Lot Area (for new subdivisions)

20, 40, or 80 acres as indicated by suffix

none

none

none

Note 1

Landscape Areas (for developed land only)

 

Note 2

    Along any frontage abutting a roadway

20'

20'

15'

15'

Note 3

    Along interior property lines

 

 

 

 

 

    . . . Minimum

5'

5'

5' within 75' of a street frontage, and abutting automobile parking areas

 

    . . . Adjacent to residential zoning district or use

10'

10'

10'

10'

Note 2

Note 3

 

 

 

 

    Between buildings and vehicle aisles/parking

10' along elevations facing a roadway or providing the primary entry to a tenant space; 5' in other areas where parking or a drive aisle is adjacent to a bldg; 0' in loading or service areas not visible from a roadway.

 

    Street trees (average spacing along a frontage)

 

 

1 tree for each 20 ft. of streetfront

 

 

Buildings

Setbacks

 

Note 4

    Front and Street Side Yard

25'

25'

25'

20'

 

    Interior side and rear yards

 

 

    . . . Minimum

0' or as required to meet applicable building and fire codes

 

    . . . Adjacent to residential zoning district or use

25', plus 1' setback for each 1' of building height over 35'

 

    Rear yard abutting roadway

20'

20'

20'

15'

 

    Adjacent to creek

See Article III (Creekside Protection)

Note 5

Building Height (maximum)

50'

50'

50'

50'

Note 6

Notes:

(1)    The 20 and 40 acre minimum shall apply to areas identified as Intensive Agriculture on the General Plan Land Use Diagram. The 80 acre minimum shall apply to areas identified as Extensive Agriculture.

(2)    The landscape requirements only apply to developed parcels, or to the development area of a parcel with land that is to remain undeveloped.

(3)    Required street frontage landscaping shall also be provided along property lines abutting a highway or freeway right-of-way.

(4)    The minimum lot area, landscape areas, and setbacks do not apply to utility buildings 500 square feet or less in size. The minimum requirements shall be determined by the City on a case by case basis.

(5)    Article VIII (Creekside Protection) requires a stream environment zone to be dedicated to the City (up to 200 feet in width) along all or a portion of Jameson Canyon, American Canyon, Green Valley, Suisun, Ledgewood, Dan Wilson, and Laural Creeks. Refer to that section for the specific requirements.

(6)    An increase in building height is allowed with approval of a Conditional Use Permit (see Section 25.40.6).