Chapter 18.04
A – AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT

Sections:

18.04.010    Purposes.

18.04.020    Permitted uses.

18.04.030    Conditional uses.

18.04.040    Screening and landscaping.

18.04.050    Performance standards.

18.04.060    Required yards.

18.04.070    Site area and site area per dwelling unit.

18.04.080    Coverage.

18.04.090    Height of structures.

18.04.100    Distances between structures.

18.04.110    Signs.

18.04.120    Off-street parking and loading facilities.

18.04.130    Design review.

18.04.140    Reserved.

18.04.150    General provisions and exceptions.

18.04.010 Purposes.

In addition to the objectives prescribed in DMC 18.01.010, an agricultural district is included in this title to achieve the following purposes:

A. To reserve for exclusive agricultural use appropriately located areas which are suitable for raising crops or livestock because of high quality soils, existing or potential irrigation works, adequate drainage, suitable climate or other factors and which are indicated on the land use diagram of the Dixon General Plan.

B. To provide locations for permanent dwellings and transient accommodations for persons gaining their livelihoods from agricultural pursuits.

C. To ensure adequate light, air and privacy for each dwelling unit.

D. To provide appropriate locations for facilities for the handling, processing, sale and shipment of agricultural produce and livestock.

E. To provide appropriate locations for certain types of establishments primarily serving agricultural producers.

F. To provide appropriate locations for certain predominately open uses of land which are harmonious with agricultural users but are not harmonious with urban uses, including natural gas, oil, water and other types of drilling.

G. To prevent the intrusion of urban development into agricultural areas in such manner as to make agricultural production uneconomical or impractical.

H. To prevent premature development of certain lands which eventually will be appropriate for urban uses until the installation of streets, utilities and community facilities makes orderly development possible.

I. To further the agricultural land protection goals and policies of the Dixon General Plan. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.020 Permitted uses.

The following uses shall be permitted:

A. Raising field crops, fruit and nut trees, vegetables, horticultural specialties, livestock and timber.

B. Processing of products produced on the premises.

C. One (1) family dwellings and farm employee housing which are incidental to a permitted use or a conditional use.

D. Home occupations conducted in accord with the regulations prescribed in Chapter 18.30 DMC.

E. Accessory structures located on the same site with a permitted or conditional use including barns, stables, tank houses, storage tanks, windmills, silos and other farm outbuildings; private garages and carports; one (1) guest house or accessory living quarters without kitchen for each residence on the site; storehouses, garden structures, greenhouses, recreation rooms and hobby shops; storage of petroleum products for the use of persons residing on the site.

F. Swimming pools used solely by persons resident on the site and their guests; provided, that no swimming pool or accessory mechanical equipment shall be located in a required front yard or in a required side yard or less than five (5) feet from a property line or less than three (3) feet from a property line as to any accessory mechanical equipment and related structures.

G. Accessory and temporary uses, subject to the requirements of Chapter 18.22 DMC.

H. Those facilities which State law requires to be allowed in this zone to the extent provided by State law and subject to any constraints of said State law.

I. Secondary living units.

J. Churches, parsonages, parish houses, monasteries, convents and other religious institutions. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.030 Conditional uses.

The following accessory and temporary uses shall be permitted upon the granting of a use permit, as provided in Chapter 18.25 DMC:

A. Roadside stands for the sale of agricultural produce grown on the site.

B. Labor camps.

C. Grain elevators.

D. Fertilizer plants and yards.

E. Stock feeding yards on sites of not less than ten (10) acres.

F. Animal sales yards on sites of not less than ten (10) acres.

G. Farm equipment service and repair establishments.

H. Veterinarian offices.

I. Bulk storage of petroleum products.

J. Commercial stables and riding academies on sites of not less than ten (10) acres.

K. Airports and heliports.

L. Cemeteries on sites of not less than ten (10) acres.

M. Crematories and columbariums.

N. Public, private, and parochial elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools, and colleges; child care centers; private nonprofit schools and colleges, including art, craft, music or dancing schools or business, professional or trade schools and colleges.

O. Public playgrounds, parks, community centers, libraries, museums, art galleries, police and fire stations and other public buildings, structures and facilities.

P. Exploration for and extraction of oil, natural gas, and similar substances on sites not less than ten (10) acres in area, provided there are: (1) setbacks of no less than one hundred (100) feet from boundaries, residences, schools and other sensitive uses; and (2) compliance with the requirements listed in Section 28-50(5), regulations for oil and gas wells, Chapter 28, Article 5, Solano County Code, as such code now exists or may be hereafter amended, or other guidelines not inconsistent with such County code as may be adopted by the City Planning Commission.

Q. Public and private charitable institutions, hospitals, sanitariums and nursing homes.

R. Golf courses on sites of not less than ten (10) acres.

S. Public utility facilities, including but not limited to pumping stations, power stations, drainage ways and structures, storage tanks, service yards and equipment buildings.

T. Commercial kennels.

U. Facilities for the generation of renewable energy including wind and solar farms. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.040 Screening and landscaping.

All uses shall provide screening and landscaping as required in Chapter 18.33 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.050 Performance standards.

All existing and proposed uses shall be subject to the performance standards contained in Chapter 18.28 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.060 Required yards.

A. The minimum front yard shall be thirty (30) feet; provided, that the distance from the centerline of a public street to any structure shall not be less than fifty (50) feet.

B. The minimum side yard shall be twenty percent (20%) of the width of the site; provided, that a side yard of more than twenty-five (25) feet shall not be required and a side yard of less than fifteen (15) feet shall not be permitted.

C. The minimum rear yard shall be twenty-five (25) feet.

D. Accessory structures not exceeding ten (10) feet in height may be located no closer than five (5) feet from the side or rear property lines. Accessory structures between ten (10) feet and fourteen (14) feet in height must be located a minimum of ten (10) feet from the rear or side property lines. No more than twenty percent (20%) of the area, or six hundred (600) square feet, whichever is smaller, of the required rear yard shall be covered by structures enclosed on more than one (1) side. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.070 Site area and site area per dwelling unit.

A. The minimum site area, except as noted in DMC 18.04.030, shall be two and one-half (2.5) acres.

B. For each dwelling unit, a range of one (1) to two and one-half (2.5) acres of land for a site shall be required, subject to the exception that a labor camp may be located on a site with a lesser area for each dwelling unit; provided, that the area of the site and the number of dwelling units are determined by the City Planning Commission in its approval of a use permit to be consistent with the purpose of this district. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1); Ord. 15-002 § 6.]

18.04.080 Coverage.

The maximum site area covered by structures shall be twenty percent (20%). [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.090 Height of structures.

A. The maximum height of a permitted use and its accessory structures shall be thirty-five (35) feet, subject to the exception that tank houses, storage tanks, windmills and silos may exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height.

B. The maximum height of a conditional use and its accessory structures shall be fifty (50) feet, except that grain elevators, tank houses, storage tanks, windmills and silos may exceed fifty (50) feet. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.100 Distances between structures.

Where there is more than one (1) structure on a site, the minimum distance between a structure used for human habitation and another structure shall be twenty (20) feet. The minimum distance between a structure used for human habitation and a structure housing livestock shall be fifty (50) feet. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.110 Signs.

No sign or display of any character shall be permitted except as prescribed in Chapter 18.24 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.120 Off-street parking and loading facilities.

Off-street parking facilities and off-street loading facilities shall be provided as prescribed in Chapter 18.27 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.130 Design review.

Conditional uses shall be subject to design review as prescribed in Chapter 18.23 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.140 Reserved.

[Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]

18.04.150 General provisions and exceptions.

All uses shall be subject to the general provisions and exceptions prescribed in Chapter 18.20 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]