Planning commission recommends adding agritourism to A‑1 agricultural zone

The Syracuse Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council amend city code sections addressing the A‑1 agricultural zone and conditional uses to add “agritourism” as a major conditional use, planning staff said.

Planning staff member Noah Steele told the commission the proposal would add agritourism to the A‑1 zone and limit it to specified activities and conditions. “Were proposing to add agritourism as a major conditional use into the A‑1 zone,” Steele said, and described minimum lot size, permitting and safety requirements.

Under the draft language presented to the commission, agritourism activities would be allowed only on parcels of five acres or larger, require a business license, and would not require a commercial site plan. New structures larger than 200 square feet would require a building permit; retrofitting existing structures would require evaluation by the fire marshal and the building official to ensure compliance with adopted codes. The draft also requires adherence to life‑safety standards (NFPA 101) and current International Fire Code provisions and appendices.

The draft places limits on parking and overnight accommodations: it specifies no parking on public streets, no parking in the front setback, and states that asphalt or concrete parking lots are not required. The transcript also records language about overnight stays and short‑term camping or bed‑and‑breakfast uses; the text in the record is ambiguous on whether overnight stays are prohibited or subject to separate rules, and that ambiguity was not resolved during the meeting.

Permitted on‑site products listed in the proposed amendment are limited to local agricultural items such as meat, eggs, honey, syrup, jams, jellies, ice cream, flowers, juice, cheese, produce, salsa, candy, bread, cottage foods and milk; additional agritourism activities named include corn mazes, farmers markets, farm‑themed event centers, pick‑your‑own operations, cut‑your‑own Christmas trees, interactive animal displays, for‑fee fishing, farm stores selling only local Utah products and farm tours.

Commissioners said the draft reflected changes discussed at an earlier work session. After the brief public hearing and staff presentation, one commissioner moved that the planning commission recommend approval of the code amendments adding agritourism; the motion received a second and passed with no recorded opposition. The commissions action is a recommendation; the City Council must consider and adopt a formal code amendment for the changes to take effect.

The commission did not specify an ordinance number during the meeting. The motion recorded in the meeting minutes recommends changes to city code sections 10.55 (A‑1 agricultural zone) and 10.30.1 (conditional uses) to add regulations allowing for agritourism.

Next steps: the recommendation will be forwarded to the Syracuse City Council for consideration at a later meeting (date not specified in the transcript).