[Amended 8-11-1997 by Ord. No. 97-9; 12-8-1997 by Ord. No. 97-13]
A.
The right to farm the land is recognized to exist in Knowlton Township
and has existed herein for hundreds of years. The Township Committee
finds and determines that farmers must be secure in their ability
to earn a livelihood and utilize customary farming procedures and
techniques.
B.
The Township Committee further finds that whatever nuisance may be
caused to others by farm uses is more than offset by the benefits
from farming to the neighborhood, community and society in general.
The preservation and continuance of farming operations in Knowlton
Township provides a source of agricultural products for this and future
generations and saves a nonreplenishable resource, namely the land.
In addition, farming preserves open space and adds to the beauty of
the countryside.
C.
Farming is a permitted use in all zones and the right to farm provisions
as set forth in this article shall be accorded to all farmers in Knowlton
Township, notwithstanding specified or prohibited uses set forth elsewhere
in this chapter.
A.
Farming and the right to farm shall include but not be limited to
the following generally recognized agricultural practices and associated
agriculturally related activities:
(1)
Use of irrigation pumps and associated irrigation equipment, tillage,
seeding and harvesting equipment and activities, spraying of crops
by conventional or aerial applications and the use of any or all mechanical
equipment associated with and necessary to the kind and type of agriculture
being practiced within the farm.
(2)
The use and housing of necessary farm laborers.
(3)
The application of chemical fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides
in accordance with manufacturers instructions and the application
of manure.
(4)
The grazing of animals and use of range for grazing animals.
(5)
The production of agricultural products, including but not limited
to vegetables, grains, hay, fruits, fibers, wood, trees, plants, shrubs,
flowers, seeds, livestock for meat or milk and fowl.
(6)
Construction of fences for farm animals and livestock.
(7)
The traveling and transportation of large, slow-moving equipment
over roads within Knowlton Township.
(8)
The control of vermin and pests, provided that such control is practiced
under applicable state laws, including fish and game laws.
(9)
The stacking or piling of manure may not take place in areas of the
farm such that manure will discharge directly or indirectly to any
stream, river, pond, lake or other surface water or abutting property.
No manure may be piled or stacked within any municipally or state-created
conservation easement or within 100 linear feet of any property line.
For purposes of this section, land held or enrolled in any farmland
preservation program shall not be liberally construed to be lands
containing a conservation easement.
(10)
The right to market produce from the farm either in a farm market
in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or by trucking the
produce out of the farm to market.
(11)
The use of the land for recreational purposes shall be done
only with the permission of the farm owner or lessee of the farm land.
Any recreational use of the farm land which changes the underlying
agricultural nature of the use shall be subject to the usual site
plan review and permits as otherwise required.
B.
All farming activities shall follow the agricultural standards set
forth in the Best Management Practices as defined by Rutgers Agriculture
Experiment Station. The Natural Resources Conservation Service and
the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
C.
The foregoing uses, activities and rights, when reasonable and necessary
for farming, livestock or fowl production and when conducted in accordance
with generally accepted agricultural purposes, may occur on holidays,
Sundays, weekends and weekdays by day and night and shall include
attendant or incidental noise, odors, dust and fumes associated with
these practices.
D.
The use of sludge or sludge-derived materials is specifically excluded
from the protection of this article.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 11-369, Deed conveyance,
was repealed 3-8-2021 by Ord. No. 21-04.
