Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Livestock topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Albany County approves tighter rules and fencing standards for livestock production
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners adopted amendments to the Albany County zoning resolution defining livestock production and adding fencing and conditional-use rules for Ranchette properties after debate over vagueness, grandfathering and state statute alignment.
The Albany County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved amendments to the county zoning resolution that define “livestock production” and add fencing and conditional-use requirements for some residential districts.
David (county planning staff) told commissioners the changes were intended to fill gaps left when state statute fencing requirements were moved into subdivision rules and to provide clearer definitions for where livestock production is appropriate. “One of them, which was brought up, is the fencing requirements that they have,” David said, describing the amendment’s purpose as adding definitions and standards for livestock production, grazing and storage of related equipment.
Commissioners debated whether the changes were fair and sufficiently clear. The chair said the draft “seems to me...to be unfair,” warning that vague language could confuse landowners about what is allowed and what would trigger a conditional-use permit. Commissioners also raised that current operations would remain grandfathered but that the amendment is primarily a planning tool for future subdivision approvals: as one commissioner put it, “Anybody who is doing that now is grandfathered in.”
The amendment removes the word “commercial” from the livestock production entry in the land-use table, makes Ranchette uses a conditional use in certain districts, and requires fencing or enclosure when livestock production is approved as a conditional use in districts where the use is not allowed by right. Staff said the language also allows incidental, small-scale livestock and home-business activities to continue under clarified standards.
Before the final vote, a friendly amendment was offered to add specific wording in chapter 9, section 6 to make the intent and fencing requirement explicit. The board approved the amended language by voice vote.
Next steps: the change takes effect as part of the county zoning resolution; county staff confirmed that existing operations will remain nonconforming but allowed to continue unless abandoned, while the new rules will apply to future subdivision reviews and conditional-use applications.
