HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-20-2007-6a
Agricultural Support Enterprises (ASE)
Update -Assembly of Governments, 9/20/07
Purpose
The face of agriculture is changing in Orange County and throughout the nation. Farmers are
looking for innovative ways to keep their farm economically profitable and non-farmers are
looking for a farm connection. The Agricultural•Support Enterprises (ASE) program is designed
to increase local farm profitability by allowing a greater range of agricultural enterprises in the
rural areas, which will in turn provide residents with more opportunities to buy and learn about
locally grown products, visit farms, and enjoy rural character. This summary, prepared by
Orange County staff, is intended to provide our joint planning partners with an update of this
ongoing project, and an outline of the next steps.
Local Farm Connection
Orange County has a wide variety of active farms, from traditional commodity farmers to organic
farmer, and direct market farmers. The ongoing success of Weaver Street Market, the
Piedmont Farm Tour, McKee's Corn Maze and similar programs demonstrate that residents are
interested in local agriculture and supporting active farms. It is a goal of Orange County
government to help these types of farm enterprises remain a viable option for farmers and
consumers alike.
However, some of these new farm-related uses do not fit neatly within the County's existing
zoning framework. An interdepartmental workgroup (Planning, Economic Development,
Environment and Resource Conservation, Cooperative Extension, the Orange Soil and Water
District) is examining zoning regulations that may impede the efforts of rural property owners to
pursue the new farm ventures and adding new farm-related uses in a manner that is consistent
with our land use plan. This program would not relax local permitting requirements; agricultural
enterprises will be required to go through a standard process and obtain a permit, like any other
development project that greatly increases the intensity of use. It would, however, streamline
the process which may remove some of the perceived impediments for farmers interested in
pursuing these new agricultural enterprises.
Potential Issues & Solutions
This update is provided to ensure that the County's joint planning partners have the opportunity
to consider the potential implications of the ASE program on the Rural Buffer prior to any formal
consideration of zoning ordinance or map amendments. For example; two questions have
arisen with regard to the Rural Buffer: 1) Is there a mechanism to ensure the suitability of
agricultural uses that may have a commercial or light industrial component in areas that are
transitioning from active farming to residential? 2) Will a program that preserves existing farms
and may even encourage new farms be in conflict with the original intent of the Rural Buffer?
The majority of these new agricultural enterprises will only require a site plan (zoning
compliance permit) approved administratively by planning staff. The interdepartmental
workgroup is working with the County Attorney to develop amendments to the zoning ordinance
to accommodate this program. These amendments will include a list of new uses along with
specific performance standards. The amendments will also address conditional zoning, the
most appropriate mechanism to allow the more intensive agricultural uses to occur in the rural
parts of the county without disrupting the residential zoning designations. An existing article in
the ordinance will be updated to accommodate the most intensive uses in the agricultural
support enterprises proposal--uses that will require a conditional use rezoning and a companion
conditional use permit. In these cases the Board of Commissioners will consider both the
rezoning and the permit following the quarterly public hearing process.
For those uses that require rezoning but are less intensive, staff will create a new article, which
will outline provisions for a conditional district rezoning process. Conditional district rezoning
applications may be considered by the Board on a "quick track" schedule and subject to a site
plan (zoning compliance permit) approved by planning staff. This approach should address the
goal of dividing the uses that require rezoning into two tiers as well as staff's concerns that the
quarterly public hearing process is too rigorous for small-scale operations.
Finally, to make the application process more user-friendly, staff is creating a new Agricultural
Support Enterprises Manual or users guide. This manual will provide all of the information
needed to pursue these new enterprises in a single booklet, written in straightforward language.
Staff is also preparing a series of companion brochures that would outline the necessary steps
to apply for a specific type of permit, such as a special use permit.
Next Steps
The interdepartmental workgroup is preparing a draft Manual and draft amendments to the
zoning ordinance. We would like to share these draft materials with members of the farming
community and agricultural advisory boards for input. Subsequently, all materials will be
submitted to the Board of County Commissioners and the Planning Board for direction and
formal comment. Staff has limited the scope of the program to those rural portions of the county
outside of the Rural Buffer at this time, but would like to consider allowing the program to
expand into the Rural Buffer in the future. This area, in between the towns and the rural areas,
may be the most appropriate location for certain farm-related uses to occur.
A few years ago, the Nutter family pursued another layer of value-added business to their
successful dairy operation and constructed the Maple View Ice Cream Store at the corner of
Dairyland and Rocky Ridge roads, adjacent to the farm. While the ice cream parlor is clearly
linked to the Nutter's farm operation it is also a retail business located in a residential zoning
district. Despite the increase in vehicular (and bicycle) traffic, most local consumers would
consider that the business is an asset to the county. This is an example of an agricultural
support enterprise with acommercial /light industrial component that has successfully located
in the Rural Buffer. The approval process was not easy, however. The ice cream parlor was
one of the first farm-related businesses that the County considered and the appropriate process
was not clear. The Agricultural Support Enterprises program is designed to facilitate the
process for staff and applicants, to allow these types of uses to occur in the-rural areas in a way
that is consistent with our existing policies and planning framework.
Agricultural Support Enterprises 2