Tulare County planning commission backs zoning changes for agricultural zones and approves six parcel maps

The Tulare County Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors adopt a multi-part update to Zoning Ordinance No. 352 and approved six tentative parcel maps during its meeting. The ordinance amendments revise agricultural-zone definitions and use rules, add new definitions for energy storage and solar uses, and establish rules for temporary grazing and animal-unit accounting; the parcel maps were approved with motions finding exemptions under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The ordinance update — presented by Emily Gage, planning project processing division, Resource Management Agency — covers changes to sections 2, 9.5 and 16.5 of Zoning Ordinance No. 352 for agricultural zones. Gage said the first phase focuses on agricultural zones and includes updated definitions (for example, “agricultural service establishments,” “battery storage,” “private solar” and “utility-scale solar”), a land-use matrix that consolidates and clarifies allowed uses, and separate treatment of raising and slaughter uses to avoid conflicts with equine and hobby uses.

Gage told the commission the update also adds a limited temporary grazing use, defined as grazing that “does not exceed 10 days every 6 months,” and proposes an animal-unit chart to count young animals toward totals when necessary. She said the proposals were developed with input from stakeholders including the Tulare County Farm Bureau.

Why it matters: the changes affect how farms and ranches may use land in the county, how certain agricultural businesses operate (including energy-related facilities and mushroom growing), and how local code enforcement will measure animal populations and manage complaints.

Key changes described…