Rural Zoning Ordinance Amendments

Rural Zoning Ordinance Amendments

The proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance would apply to rural zoning districts (Exclusive Agriculture, Agricultural Ranchlands, Hillsides, and Rural Residential) within the unincorporated county. The objectives of these amendments are to: a) Replace existing provisions of the Zoning Ordinance addressing local-serving uses with objective development standards, to provide a more streamlined approach for development of rural compatible uses; b) Preserve rural areas by limiting the development of non-compatible uses; and c) Further the County’s General Plan policy goals for continued agricultural viability. The proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance would update how development is regulated in rural zoning districts with three primary changes: a) Simplify and streamline the permit process for agriculture supportive uses. • Broaden the uses that are permitted ancillary to an agricultural operation. • Combine use classifications for Agricultural Processing, Agricultural Sales, Agricultural Accessory Structures & Uses, Agriculturally Related Entertainment & Commercial Uses and Wineries into a new use classification called Agriculture Supportive Uses. • Streamline the regulation of Agriculture Supportive Uses according to size, either Limited or General. b) Align development in agricultural areas with existing County land use policies. • Remove non-compatible uses in the Exclusive Agriculture zone that are inconsistent with the intent of General Plan policies. • Require that certain types of development be accessory to onsite agriculture. • Introduce an Agricultural Buffer requirement for new development on properties adjacent to farmland. • Allow Agrivoltaics in agricultural areas, which consists of active agricultural uses alongside commercial solar energy production. c) Replace “local-serving” provisions with objective development standards. • Remove regulations related to “local-serving” uses in rural areas. • Introduce development standards, Lot Coverage and Development Area, which will regulate the size and scale of new development in rural zoning districts. • Streamline the regulation of Religious Institutions according to size, either Limited or General.

Campbell, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose

Santa Clara

San Francisco Bay Area

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Natural Resources Agency, California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region 2 (RWQCB), Office of Historic Preservation, California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), Department of Toxic Substances Control

California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), Department of Toxic Substances Control

Commercial (Countywide)(Sq. Ft. 1, Acres 1, Employees 1)

Zoning Ordinance Amendment

None Identified