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Agritourism bill draws strong opposition from farmers and building officials over land-use and safety concerns
Summary
Senate Bill 5055 would exempt seasonal agritourism buildings from some commercial building-code requirements; farmers and the State Building Code Council warned the bill could allow non-agricultural commercial uses on farmland and create uneven safety and accessibility outcomes.
Senate Bill 5055 would exempt agricultural buildings used for agritourism activities for six months or less each year from commercial building-code standards, except that life- and fire-safety standards would still apply under the bill as described to the committee.
Michelle Rests, committee staff, summarized the bill’s intent and the existing law around agritourism and comprehensive planning before the committee. She said the bill would exempt some structures used seasonally for agritourism from commercial-code permitting while requiring life- and fire-safety standards.
Sen. Judy Warnick, sponsor, said the bill aims to clarify code requirements for farmers and reduce regulatory burdens that can be barriers for small farm…
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