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Commission approves produce‑stand and small‑scale agriculture permit at 479 Church Street, grants variance and directs code review
Summary
The planning commission approved a use permit allowing on‑site agricultural production (flowers and succulents) and a produce stand at 479 Church Street, granted a variance from a 50%‑lot agriculture requirement, and directed staff to return with proposed code amendments for residential produce‑stand standards.
The Sonoma City Planning Commission approved a use permit allowing small‑scale agricultural production and an on‑site produce stand at 479 Church Street, a 7,500‑square‑foot parcel in a residential low‑density zone.
Associate Planner Jake Dunn told the commission the project proposes to grow flowers and succulents for sale to local retailers and at farmers markets. No construction or interior modifications are proposed; Dunn said a metal stand will be relocated next to the residence entry for accessibility and that the applicant plans to operate the stand and sell directly from on‑site production.
Dunn explained the development code’s produce‑stand standard (section 19.5.070) requires three conditions: (1) agricultural production on‑site or on an adjacent parcel under the same ownership; (2) at least 50% of the property devoted to agriculture; and (3) the stand be owner‑operated. Staff reported the proposal meets conditions (1) and (3) but not the 50% lot area requirement; the proposal would use about 17% of the site for agricultural production. Staff recommended the commission consider the use permit and also consider directing staff to amend the code if the commission makes a policy decision to reduce the 50% threshold for residential low‑density properties.
Commissioners discussed the intent of the 50% threshold, the potential need to revise the ordinance to better accommodate urban‑scale agriculture, and enforcement questions about owner‑occupancy and permit continuity. The applicant (identified in the hearing as Misty) said she grows and sells flowers to local shops and at farmers markets and that she plans no structural changes.
Commissioner Barnett moved to approve the use permit with a variance from the 50% requirement and to direct staff to return with proposed ordinance amendments; the motion was seconded and passed by unanimous roll call (Commissioners Nugent, O’Neil and Barnett and Chair Don Bach voted yes). Staff noted that, absent prompt code changes, a site‑specific variance was the cleanest way to approve this application while the city studies a permanent code amendment.
Staff said the permit will be recorded with the property and that future occupants should be addressed in any code amendment language the commission directs staff to prepare.
