5750 Valleyhigh Rd NW, Rochester, MN 55901

Agricultural Protection District

The purpose of this district is to maintain, conserve and enhance agricultural lands which are historically valuable for crop production, pasture land, and natural habitat for plant and animal life. This district in intended to encourage long-term agricultural uses and preserve prime agricultural farmland by restricting the location and density of non-farm dwellings and other non-farm land uses. The A-2 District does provide a slightly higher density of non-farm dwellings than the A-1 District and is intended to apply to those areas within the comprehensive Plan's Agricultural Protection Area and Agricultural Area where major agricultural investments, large farms and feedlots are more scattered and greater numbers of non-farm uses or small parcels are present.; The definition of a farm for this district is a lot used for agricultural or horticultural uses and comprised of at least 35 acres, or comprised of at least an undivided quarter-quarter section, less no more than 5 acres, including the abutting public road right-of-way to the centerline. However, if the right-of-way is owned by the road authority in fee simple, then the abutting public road right-of-way shall not be included in determining parcel area.