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Plan Commission backs rewrite of exclusive-agriculture (AX) zoning to align with state farmland preservation rules
Summary
Commission approved Ordinance 2026‑O‑08 to revise AX (exclusive agriculture) zoning language — clarifying allowed second farm residences, caretaker definitions, and other terms to support state farmland-preservation recertification.
The Plan Commission approved Ordinance 2026‑O‑08, which repeals and recreates sections of Chapter 22 governing the exclusive agriculture (AX) district. Staff said the revisions clarify the rules for second or subsequent farm residences, caretaker/operator definitions and the definition of a farm residence so the city may pursue recertification with the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and enable farmers to access farmland-preservation tax-credit eligibility.
Staff described two principal changes: removing ambiguous "or subsequent" language around second farm residences and explicitly allowing up to two units on a base farm tract (to reflect the definition that a farm residence may be a duplex). The ordinance also calls out that a second farm residence must be owned in common with the primary farm residence and cannot be split off without rezoning out of AX.
Ag and Rural Committee considered the revisions and recommended the changes back to plan commission; after brief discussion plan commission voted to approve the ordinance as revised. The motion carried by voice vote.
The ordinance advances the city’s ability to participate in the state farmland-preservation program and clarifies how farm residences and caretaker dwellings are handled in local code.
