A.
It is the purpose of this district to protect areas
of active agricultural use, together with adjacent areas of prime
and unique agricultural soils suitable for expansion of agricultural
operations.
B.
The agricultural zones within the township support
and reinforce the community's environmental and agroeconomic base,
and the intent herein is to sustain these districts and uses within
an environment that is compatible with the agricultural and environmental
interests.
Buildings and land in the Agricultural District
shall be used only for the following purposes:
A.
Permitted uses shall be as follows:
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Agricultural airfields
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Agricultural commercial establishments
[Amended 11-20-1989 by Ord. No. 1014-89] | |
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Agricultural employee housing
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Agricultural processingb
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Agriculture
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Forestry (See § 203-174.)
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Home occupations
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Low-intensity recreation, including hunting clubs and lodges Pinelands development credits (See § 203-171.)
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Single-family residentiala
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NOTES:
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a
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A.
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(1)
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The dwelling is accessory to an active agricultural
operation.
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(2)
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The dwelling is for an operator or employee
of the farm who is actively engaged in and essential to the agricultural
operation.
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(3)
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The dwelling is to be located on a lot which
is under or qualified for agricultural assessment.
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(4)
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The dwelling is located on a lot which has an
active production history or where a farm management plan has been
prepared which demonstrates that the property will be farmed as a
unit unto itself or as part of another farm operation in the area.
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(5)
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A residential lot has not been subdivided from the property within the previous five years, unless the lot has been subdivided pursuant to § 203-202A(5) of this chapter.
[Amended 2-19-1991 by Ord. No. 1063-1991] | |||
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(6)
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No more than one may be created for a dwelling
pursuant to this subsection at any one time.
[Added 2-19-1991 by Ord. No. 1063-1991] | |||
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B.
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In addition, residential dwelling units at a
gross density not exceeding one unit per 40 acres will be permitted,
provided that:
[Amended 8-4-1997 by Ord. No. 1280-97] | |||
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(1)
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The unit(s) shall be clustered on one-acre lots;
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(2)
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The remainder of the parcel, including all contiguous
lands in common ownership, which is not assigned to individual residential
lots shall be permanently dedicated for agricultural uses through
recordation of a restriction on the deed to the parcel; and
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(3)
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The restriction on the deed to the parcel, including
any rights to be redeemed for future residential development, shall
be done in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:50-5, Part IV, so as to sever
any Pinelands development credits allocated to the parcel.
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b
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Except commercial livestock or poultry processing
establishments.
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A.
Area and bulk requirements shall be as follows:
(3)
Minimum yard requirements: b
(a)
Front yard setback: c,d 200 feet.
(b)
Side yard setback: c 300 feet aggregate, minimum 150 feet on one side.
(c)
Rear yard setback: 300 feet.
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NOTES:
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a
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The height limits in this article shall not
apply to church spires, belfries, cupolas, chimneys, flues and farm
silos, provided that:
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A.
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The aggregate area covered by all such features,
except agricultural structures, shall not exceed 20% of the total
roof area.
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B.
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The height of such features shall not exceed
25 feet above roof level.
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b
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Setback requirements shall not apply to pump
houses and other structures, up to 300 square feet in area, which
may be as close as 15 feet to the property line.
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c
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Projections into yards by porches, balconies,
stairs and canopies shall be limited to 12 feet or the building setback
line, whichever is less, in side or rear yard areas, and six feet
or the building setback line, whichever is less, in front yard areas.
Bay window projections into front and rear yards shall be limited
to three feet and in side yards shall be limited to two feet. The
length of such window(s) shall not exceed, in total, 30% of the exterior
wall of which they are located.
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d
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e
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Excluding barns and other related farm buildings
which may be as high as 35 feet.
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f
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Except as otherwise provided under footnote a of § 203-20A above for dwelling units at a density not exceeding one unit per 40 acres.
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g
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Notwithstanding the minimum lot areas set forth in Subsection A(2) above, no such minimum lot area for a nonresidential use in the AG District shall be less than that needed to meet the water quality standards of Article XV, Special Regulations, § 203-186B(4), whether or not the lot may be served by a centralized sewer treatment or collection system.
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B.
Exceptions to front yard and side yard setback requirements
for principal and accessory structures are as follows:
(1)
In the Forest Area District, Rural Development Districts
and Agriculture Districts, where the parcel of land existed as a conforming
lot prior to February 7, 1979, the parcel is not contiguous to other
vacant lot(s) in the same ownership and the lot is an undersized lot
of record in respect to the zone in which it is located, a single-family
residential structure may be expanded or enlarged and accessory structures
may be constructed, expanded or enlarged as long as the following
front yard and side yard setbacks will be maintained:
[Amended 11-19-2007 by Ord. No. 1613-2007]
(a)
For lots equal to or less than 2.5 acres, the
standards of RD-1 shall apply.
(b)
For lots equal to or less than four acres but
not less than 2.5 acres, the standards of RD-2.5 shall apply.
(c)
For lots equal to or less than five acres but
not less than four acres, the standards of RD-4 shall apply.
(d)
For lots equal to or less than 10 acres but
not less than five acres, the standards of RD-4 shall apply.
B.
All new permanent plantings shall consist of native vegetation. (NOTE: Excludes annual flowers.) (See § 203-185.)
C.
The site plans or major subdivision plans filed with
the township shall include a landscape plan identifying areas to be
cleared and planted and areas where existing vegetation is to be preserved.
The location of proposed plants shall be drawn to scale at maturity
and keyed to a plant list. The plant list shall indicate the quantity,
botanical and common name, size at installation and root condition
(bare root, balled and burlapped) container (including size) for each
proposed species along with a schedule for planting. The landscape
portion of the application shall also include applicable planting
details, cost estimates and pertinent maintenance schedule.
[Amended 7-7-1997 by Ord. No. 1261-97]
[Amended 7-7-1997 by Ord. No. 1280-97]
All lighting for any structure shall be installed so as to preclude any glare or interference upon any surrounding land use or roadway. All lighting shall conform to the requirements as set forth within § 203-167B.
A.
All agricultural activities and fish and wildlife
management activities, including the preparation of land and the planting,
nurturing and harvesting of crops, shall be carried out in accordance
with recommended management practices established for the particular
agricultural activity by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture,
the Soil Conservation Service and the New Jersey Agricultural Experimental
Station at Rutgers University.
B.
In agricultural production districts, a resource conservation
plan shall be prepared by the operator of every agricultural use or
the appropriate Soil Conservation District located in an area which
has been designated by any agency of federal, state or local government
as having substandard surface or ground water. If prepared by the
operator, such plan shall be submitted to the Soil Conservation District
for review. The resource conservation plan shall be reviewed, updated
and revised as necessary and shall provide for the use of recommended
management practices as found in, but not limited to, the following
publications:
C.
All agricultural operations in any agricultural production
district shall be exempt from any ordinance or regulation which inhibits
efficient crop production, including but not limited to ordinances
and regulations imposing time limits on operations, dust limits and
odor restrictions, except those ordinances and regulations which are
strictly necessary for the maintenance of the public health.
