AG lots not used for AG

[Rob Tucker]

It seems to me that some resolution for the many small agriculturally zoned lots (1 acre and less) which are not used or developed for agriculture should be sought.

I would suggest that this is feasible from a zoning POV.

I would suggest it is desirable from a community input POV.

Proposal:

Pass new rezoning requirements which would provide a time frame (3 years?) for:

1. AG lot owners to demonstrate agricultural use (to be defined). And in doing so achieve a favorable real tax rate.

2. Rezone non agricultural use AG lots as Residential (RS40+/-) at a somewhat higher real tax rate.

3. Undeveloped AG lots could, within the three year period, elect to remain AG and land bank the lot for a reasonable period (5-10 years?)

4. Undeveloped AG lots could, within the three year period, elect to rezone to RS and would most likely achieve a higher assessed value as a result. The higher value would be for resale purposes as a residential property

I focus this mostly on the poorly designed subdivisions which have been, in some cases, abusing the AG designation. RS zoning, on a spot basis, would have to accept, legally, the AG uses abutting them. The RS properties would likely have a higher value and the AG lots would be encouraged to remain AG by a low tax rate.

[peteadams]

From the maps I have now, there exist Family Agricultural (FA-1a) of one acre and Residential Agricultural (RA-.5a) zones. These may be related to what you are proposing. I have an email to Larry Brown asking for the definitions of these zones.

I must say that from the growth management POV I have been looking with most interest at the various Residential zonings on the maps. My male intuition (or something) tells me that Residential designations (smaller lots, more restrictions, only slightly greater taxes) would tend to fuel more growth compared with purely Ag definitions. Not that Ag zones, as you point out, can't be abused. I have some good examples of the latter from Maui.

[peteadams]

Larry pointed me to the county's zoning regulations:

The RS (single-family residential) district provides for lower or low and medium density residential use, for urban and suburban family life. It applies to areas having facilities, and to carry out the above stated purpose.

The RA (residential and agricultural) district provides for activities or uses characterized by low density residential lots in rural areas where "citylike" concentrations of people, structures, streets, and urban level of services are absent, and where small farms are intermixed with low density residential lots. The RA district is intended to be only within areas designated as being in the State land use rural or urban districts.

The FA (Family Agricultural) district provides for a blend of small-scale agricultural operations associated with residential activities and which may be characterized by farm estates, small acreage farms, or subsistence lots. The FA district is intended to be in areas designated as being within the State land use agricultural district, where public services and infrastructure are appropriate to support the very low density residential needs
of a rural community and where substantial number of parcels are less than five acres in size, and where a mix of uses will not conflict with or be detrimental to existing agricultural uses in the surrounding area. In addition, this district is intended to be primarily comprised of agricultural lands less than five acres in area, which are not classified as A or B lands under the land study bureau's master productivity rating, or classified as prime, unique, or other important agricultural lands.