733 HEAL Rd, Malta, IL 60150

Agricultural District

It is recognized that the public health and welfare of the citizens of DeKalb County are greatly dependent upon the sustenance and economic benefits provided by a viable agricultural industry. The intent of this district is to ensure that land areas in the County that are well suited for production of food and fiber are retained for such production, unimpeded by the establishment of incompatible uses which would hinder farm operations and irretrievably deplete agricultural lands. The A-1 District acknowledges that agriculture is a specialized form of industry characterized by the production through biological and botanical processes of saleable farm products as a result of the combination of raw materials (soils, seeds, plants, water, and nutrients), manpower (farm labor and machinery), and energy (solar and power equipment). Other specific purposes for which this district is established include: To preserve woodlands and wetlands associated with farms that, because of their natural physical features, are useful as water retention and groundwater recharge areas, and as habitat for plant and animal life; and which have an important aesthetic and scenic value that contributes to the unique character of the agricultural district.; To provide the basis for land tax assessments which reflect its existing agricultural nature and owing to these regulations, its limited use for other purposes; To prevent the conversion of agricultural land to scattered non-farm development which, when unregulated, unnecessarily increases the cost of public services to all citizens and results in the premature dis-investment in agriculture; To implement the recommendations of the DeKalb County Unified Comprehensive Plan, which strongly discourages scattered development throughout the rural, unincorporated portions of the County, and encourages new non-agricultural uses to develop on properties that are adjacent to municipal boundaries and can, therefore, be annexed. The agricultural district