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Committee moves to cap residences in Ag-Forestry district, citing clarity and septic concerns
Summary
Members approved an ordinance amendment to limit farm residences in the Ag-Forestry district (proposed cap: two residences) to avoid unregulated subdivision of large parcels and to clarify zoning consistency across districts; committee will forward the amendment to county board.
The committee considered and approved an ordinance amendment clarifying how many dwellings are allowed in the Ag-Forestry zoning district. Staff explained that current language uses a plural term for "residences" with no numerical cap, which could be interpreted to allow multiple dwellings on large parcels. The proposed amendment would permit up to two farm residences in the Forestry district to prevent ad-hoc clustering of houses without clearer standards.
Members raised technical questions about minimum lot sizes and septic capacity. A staff member explained the county requires a minimum two-acre residential parcel and noted property owners can seek variances for smaller lots; another member emphasized septic design constraints, saying existing septic systems often are sized for a specific total number of bedrooms and a second dwelling could require an affidavit regarding flows and loads.
Committee members discussed whether to wait for the broader zoning rewrite or adopt the amendment now; because the issue has arisen multiple times, members voted to approve moving the amendment forward to the county board so the change can take effect sooner rather than waiting for a comprehensive rewrite.
The approved motion will be forwarded to the county board for final action. Staff noted codification of ordinances is underway and section numbers may change when the county adopts the consolidated code of ordinances.
