This zoning district is intended to accommodate land currently
under cultivation, wetlands, woodlands, and other lands in an undisturbed
state. Farming, crop cultivation, dairy and livestock operations,
and rural estate single-family dwellings are suitable uses in this
district. Parcels within the AG District are restricted to a minimum
of two acres in area.
Land, buildings and structures in this Zoning District may be
used for the following purposes only:
A. Farms for both general and specialized agricultural use as defined
herein, together with farm dwellings, buildings and other installations
necessary to such farms, including temporary housing for migratory
workers and its sanitary facilities, provided that such activities
are in conformance with all requirements of the Berrien County Health
Department, the State of Michigan Right to Farm Act, EGLE and/or any
other federal, state and/or local regulating agency having jurisdiction.
B. Greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, vineyards, and apiaries.
D. Publicly owned and operated parks, parkways, and recreational facilities.
E. Adult foster care family homes of six or fewer persons. This subsection
shall not apply to adult foster care facilities, licensed by a state
agency, for the care and treatment of persons released for or assigned
to adult correctional institutions.
F. Accessory structures and uses customarily incidental to the above
permitted uses.
H. Home occupations. (See §
300-18.14 for additional standards.)
I. Public stables, where livestock are boarded and/or rented.
J. Wireless
communication antenna, fixed wireless signals.
[Added 9-16-2021 by Ord. No. 123-2021]
K. Wireless
communications antenna when attached to a lawful existing telecommunications
tower, water tower, or other structure, subject to overall height
restrictions.
[Added 9-16-2021 by Ord. No. 123-2021]
The following uses may be permitted upon approval by the Township
Board of Trustees who may require special conditions after review
by the Planning Commission in accordance with the provisions of this
chapter relating to special use permits.
A. Public, social, religious and educational institutions that provide
for locations of public assembly, with direct access to a county roadway
and a minimum of two acres of land area.
B. Removal and processing of topsoil, sand, gravel or other materials. (See §
300-18.30 for additional standards.)
C. Kennels and animal boarding establishments.
D. Township, county, regional and state owned buildings and service
facilities (not including outdoor storage yards) when in character
with the surrounding residential and agricultural area.
E. Private recreation areas, uses, and facilities including country
clubs, golf courses, and swimming pools.
F. Public utility buildings, telephone exchange buildings, electric
transformer stations and substations, and gas regulator stations (not
including service or storage yards) when operating requirements necessitate
the locating within the district in order to serve the immediate vicinity.
This shall not include wireless communication facilities.
I. Bed-and-breakfast facilities.
J. Private airports and/or landing fields.
L. Planned unit development (pursuant to Article
XIV).
O. Wineries, breweries or distilleries, subject to §
300-18.07.
P. Event
venue.
[Added 12-3-2020 by Ord. No. 121-2020]
Q. Wireless
communication towers, commercial.
[Added 9-16-2021 by Ord. No. 123-2021]
No building or structure nor any enlargement thereof shall be
hereafter erected except in conformance with the following yard, lot
area, height and building coverage requirements:
A. Height. No residential building or structure shall exceed 35 feet
in height. Agricultural structures such as storage silos, barns, grain
elevators and similar structures are exempt from the maximum height
requirements of this chapter.
B. Front yard. There shall be a front yard of not less than 50 feet.
C. Side yard. For residential buildings and structures, there shall
be total combined side yards of not less than 40 feet; provided, however,
that no side yard shall be less than 10 feet.
D. Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard of not less than 30 feet.
E. Lot area. The minimum net lot area in this district, unless specified
elsewhere, shall be two acres.
F. Lot width. The minimum lot width in this district, unless specified
elsewhere, shall be 200 feet. The lot width shall be measured at the
front building line.
G. Minimum floor area. Each dwelling unit, unless specified elsewhere,
shall have a total minimum of 960 square feet with a minimum of 864
square feet of usable floor area on the main floor.
H. Site plan review. Site plan review and approval (not including home occupations) is required for uses subject to a special use permit in accordance with Articles
XXIII and
XXIV of this chapter.
I. New buildings constructed to house livestock shall not be placed
closer than 50 feet to the lot lines, in addition to regulations which
apply to accessory structures and farm animals elsewhere in this chapter.
J. Access management. All new structures, parcels of land, land divisions, subdivision lots, or condominium units shall meet the requirements of §
300-18.34, Access management, of this chapter.