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Committee asks planners to clarify whether 'agriculture' includes 'farm' in master plan
Summary
Jefferson County committee members asked planning staff to clarify the difference between 'agriculture' and 'farm' in the master plan, and requested a new glossary paragraph and chart edit to reflect farming as a primary use where intended.
At its May 15 meeting the Jefferson County Master Plan Review Committee pressed planning staff for clearer definitions of "agriculture" and "farm," saying the terms are used inconsistently in the draft master plan and supporting land-use chart.
Committee members reported that Planning & Zoning staff member Dennis Kim told the planning commission that "agriculture" could be allowed by right across much of unincorporated Jefferson County. Several committee members said that while the plan’s glossary includes an "agricultural/wooded area" category, the draft does not define "farm" or explicitly reconcile the land-use chart with staff guidance that agriculture is allowed countywide.
Why this matters: committee members said the distinction affects how land is treated on the plan’s chart (where agriculture appears as a primary use in some areas but as secondary in others). The committee asked planners to add language to the glossary that defines farming as a subset of agriculture, and to either add "farm" to the "agriculture/wooded areas" label on the chart or explain why it is treated differently.
Committee direction and next steps: members asked staff to confirm whether farms (as distinct from broader agricultural uses such as forestry or horticulture) are permitted by right in specific plan categories, and to update the chart and glossary accordingly. The committee also flagged the issue for the UDO rewrite so that any regulatory detail — e.g., animal-keeping standards or lot-size thresholds — can be addressed in implementing ordinances.
Ending: The committee marked the item "send to planning" and indicated it would include the glossary edit and chart change as part of the consolidated packet to be forwarded to Planning Director Mitch Baer.
