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Committee debates ag‑zone language and drinking‑water protections, seeks flexibility for farm‑supporting businesses
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Summary
Members discussed whether the agricultural resource protection and drinking‑water protection categories should allow accessory businesses (farm‑to‑table, agritourism, wineries), and agreed the comp plan should state typical uses while leaving detailed zoning permissions for later.
Committee members discussed the balance between protecting agricultural land and allowing farm‑supporting businesses such as farm‑to‑table operations, agritourism and small‑scale processing. Several members urged the comp plan to avoid becoming a district zoning code while making clear that "supported businesses" could be appropriate in ag areas.
A committee member asked whether a farm could host a restaurant or small lodging as an agritourism use; the chair replied that any such activity would need to meet a definition of a bona fide farm to be considered an associated agricultural activity. "If it's a bonafide farm, then that could be an associated agricultural activity where they're preparing meals where people can come and consume the meals," the chair said.
Jeff Hyman cautioned the committee about permitting more intensive non‑agricultural uses — for example, a winery that also runs weddings and a restaurant — and said some of those uses are not currently permitted under existing zoning. Staff recommended describing typical permitted land uses in the comp plan (for example, "agricultural activities and supported businesses") while reserving the exact list of permitted or conditional uses for the zoning code update.
On drinking‑water protection, members noted Lake Auburn had been treated as a distinct protection layer and asked that language clearly reflect the watershed protections and restrictions that apply to that area.
The committee directed staff to adjust descriptive language to clarify that the comp plan's land‑use characteristics should not be written so tightly that they become zoning regulations, and to return with refined language that allows for accessory farm businesses while protecting primary agricultural uses and watershed areas.
