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Board sends agritourism zoning changes back to staff after public concern over size, parking and enforcement
Summary
The board asked planning staff to refine a draft agritourism ordinance after a long public hearing about by-right activities, whether camping and large arena events should be permitted, and how to ensure neighbor protections. Staff will return with a revised draft that includes permit type options and enforcement language.
After extended public comment and detailed supervisor questions, the Amador County Board of Supervisors directed planning staff to rewrite a draft agritourism ordinance that would allow limited on-farm events and farm-stay activity in certain residential and agricultural zones.
Planning staff presented changes that would allow some agritourism activities by right (for example, farm stays inside an existing permitted residence) while reserving higher-impact uses for permits. "Ministerial would be over the counter permit; discretionary would require public hearing and review by the planning commission or board," planning staff said when explaining the distinction in permit types.
Public commenters and some supervisors raised concerns about the current draft's provisions allowing certain events on parcels as small as one acre, especially arena events, roping competitions and rodeos. "A standard roping arena takes about one acre," one participant said, arguing that parking and site constraints make some events impractical at small scales. Others urged a higher threshold or staggered approach: allow low-impact activities by right but require a ministerial or discretionary permit for uses with greater impacts.
Board members suggested practical compromises, such as creating a time-limited ministerial permit (one-year term with renewal after review) for some event types, higher setback requirements, or requiring a full discretionary use permit for gatherings above a specified size (staff and some stakeholders discussed 50 people as a pivot point). Planning staff said a ministerial permitting route (currently a $125 application tied to staff hourly rates) could be developed with renewal/appeal language and revocation criteria for nuisance violations.
The board did not adopt the ordinance and instead directed staff to revise the draft for return at a later date, including clearer definitions of permitted activities, process for ministerial versus discretionary review, thresholds for people and parking, and enforcement/renewal mechanics.
Next steps: staff to prepare a refined ordinance incorporating board direction, including options for one-year ministerial permits and discretionary review for larger events.
