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Committee discusses zoning tools to protect Greater Rigby farmland
Summary
Members debated parcel-size policy, where to permit higher-density development and how zoning guidance in the comprehensive plan could be used to slow loss of agricultural land inside the Greater Rigby Area.
Committee members raised concerns that subdividing Ag-10 parcels into multiple 10-acre lots—or allowing single-acre residential lots—would cumulatively consume farmland. Jim Gerdes said policy language matters: "You have to establish policy like, 'we want to protect the existing agricultural land within the Greater Rigby Area'." Members discussed using the comprehensive plan to steer rezoning decisions and suggested mapping existing AG-10 parcels to identify areas to retain as agricultural.
The group debated where heavy industrial or truck-intensive commercial uses should be sited and agreed such uses might belong outside community cores to avoid conflict with residential neighborhoods. Ollerton noted the committee can set policy priorities but not unilaterally change zoning; rezoning would still follow statutory procedures. Members requested that staff provide parcel- and zoning-layer updates in public GIS to help evaluate trade-offs.
