In addition to the objectives prescribed in Section 18.04.010 of this title, the A agricultural district is included in this title to achieve the following purposes:
A. 
To permit the conduct of certain agricultural pursuits on land in the city;
B. 
To prevent premature urban development of certain lands which eventually will be appropriate for urban uses, until the installation of drainage works, streets, utilities, and community facilities makes orderly development possible;
C. 
To ensure adequate light, air and privacy for each dwelling unit, and to provide adequate separation between dwellings and facilities for housing animals;
D. 
To permit certain nonagricultural uses that are incompatible with intensive urban development to locate in undeveloped portions of the city.
(Prior code § 2-6.00)
A. 
All uses shall comply with the regulations prescribed in Chapter 18.84 of this title;
B. 
No use shall be permitted and no process, equipment or materials shall be employed which are found by the city planning commission to be objectionable to persons residing or working in the vicinity or injurious to property located in the vicinity by reason of odor, fumes, dust, smoke, cinders, dirt, refuse, water carried wastes, noise, vibrations, illumination, glare, unsightliness or traffic, or to involve any hazard of fire or explosion, provided that permitted agricultural pursuits conducted in accord with good practice shall not be deemed a nuisance.
(Prior code § 2-6.01)
The following uses shall be permitted in the A district:
A. 
One-family dwellings, accessory dwelling and junior accessory dwelling units. Accessory dwelling and junior accessory dwelling units shall meet the requirements in Chapter 18.106 of this title;
B. 
Agriculture for commercial purposes, limited to the growing of field and truck crops and horticultural specialties; nurseries, greenhouses and botanical conservatories; orchards and vineyards; farming and ranching facilities and structures;
C. 
Raising of fruits, nuts, vegetables and horticultural specialties for private noncommercial use;
D. 
Home occupations conducted in accordance with the regulations prescribed in Chapter 18.104 of this title;
E. 
Livestock and poultry raising for private, noncommercial use, and private kennels and stables; provided, that any building or enclosure in which animals or fowl, except household pets, are contained shall be at least 100 feet from any R, O, C, I-P or P district;
F. 
Photovoltaic facilities;
G. 
Accessory structures and uses located on the same site with a permitted use, including barns, stables, coops, tank houses, storage tanks, windmills (not including wind energy facilities), other farm outbuildings, private garages and carports, or guesthouse or accessory living quarters without a kitchen for each dwelling on the site, storehouses, garden structures, greenhouses, recreation rooms and hobby shops, and storage of petroleum products for persons residing on the site and the following accessory structures and uses located on the same site with a permitted use or with a conditional use which has been granted a use permit in accord with the provisions of Chapter 18.124 of this title:
1. 
Emergency standby electricity generator, fuel cell, and/or battery facilities provided that the facilities shall be tested from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Satur-day or Sunday only; the facilities shall not be tested for more than one hour during any day, and no testing shall be on federal holidays or on "Spare The Air Days" in Alameda County,
2. 
Portable, temporary electricity generator, fuel cell, or battery facilities,
3. 
Photovoltaic facilities,
4. 
Small electricity generator facilities that meet the following criteria:
a. 
The fuel source for the generators shall be natural gas, bio diesel, or the byproduct of an approved cogeneration or combined cycle facility,
b. 
The facilities shall use the best available control technology to reduce air pollution,
c. 
The facilities shall not create any objectionable odors at any point outside of the property plane where the facilities are located,
d. 
The facilities shall not exceed a noise level of 45 dBA at any point on any residentially zoned property outside of the property plane where the facilities are located,
e. 
On a site with fuel cell facilities, small electricity generator facilities shall not be permitted unless the aggregate wattage of the two facilities is less than one megawatt. If the aggregate wattage of the two facilities is one megawatt or greater, the small electricity generator facilities shall be subject to all requirements and processes prescribed in this title for medium or large electricity generator facilities, whichever is the most applicable, in the subject zoning district, and
f. 
The facilities shall be cogeneration or combined cycle facilities, if feasible,
5. 
Small fuel cell facilities that meet the following criteria:
a. 
The facilities shall not create any objectionable odors at any point outside of the property plane where the facilities are located,
b. 
The fuel cell facilities shall not exceed a noise level of 45 dBA at any point on any residentially zoned property outside of the property plane where the facilities are located, and
c. 
On a site with electricity generator facilities, small fuel cell facilities shall not be permitted unless the aggregate wattage of the two facilities is less than one megawatt. If the aggregate wattage of the two facilities is one megawatt or greater, the small fuel cell facilities shall be subject to all requirements and processes prescribed in this title for medium or large fuel cell facilities, whichever is the most applicable, in the subject zoning district,
Small fuel cell facilities are encouraged to be cogeneration or combined cycle facilities;
H. 
Administrative offices for on-site and off-site agricultural activities which are clearly ancillary to the agricultural pursuits taking place on the site;
I. 
Large and small family daycare homes;
J. 
Employee housing (agricultural) that complies with California Health and Safety Code Section 17008, 17021.5 or 17021.6 (depending on the number of employees accommodated) and the other applicable provisions of the Employees Housing Act at California Health and Safety Code Section 17000 et seq., and to include a residential safety management plan;
K. 
Supportive housing that provides shelter for six or fewer persons in a dwelling unit, subject to the provisions of Chapter 18.107;
L. 
Transitional housing that provides shelter for six or fewer persons in a dwelling unit, subject to the provisions of Chapter 18.107;
M. 
Beekeeping meeting the requirements of Chapter 18.103 of this title.
(Prior code § 2-6.02; Ord. 1126 § 3, 1984; Ord. 1880, 2003; Ord. 1885 § 2, 2003; Ord. 2061 § 2, 2013; Ord. 2062 § 2, 2013; Ord. 2113 § 1, 2015; Ord. 2161 § 1, 2017; Ord. 2213 § 2, 2021; Ord. 2244 § 2, 2023)
The following uses shall be permitted in the A district upon the granting of a use permit in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 18.124 of this title:
A. 
Accessory structures and uses located on the same site as a conditional use and the following accessory structures and uses located on the same site as a permitted use or a conditional use that has been granted a use permit:
1. 
Medium electricity generator facilities that meet the applicable standards of Section 18.124.420 of this title.
2. 
Medium fuel cell facilities that meet the applicable standards of Section 18.124.420 of this title.
3. 
Wind energy facilities that meet the following criteria:
a. 
The facilities shall not exceed a noise level of 45 dBA at any point on any residentially zoned property outside of the property plane where the facilities are located;
b. 
The design of the facilities shall be streamlined (without ladders and extra appurtenances) to discourage birds from roosting on the facilities;
c. 
Facilities on hillsides or ridges shall not be visible from a public right-of-way.
B. 
Agriculture processing plants.
C. 
Airports and heliports.
D. 
Animal sales yards.
E. 
Automobile and motorcycle racing stadiums and drag strips.
F. 
Cemeteries, crematories, and columbariums.
G. 
Charitable institutions and social service and social welfare centers.
H. 
Churches, convents, monasteries, parish houses, parsonages, and other religious institutions.
I. 
Commercial kennels.
J. 
Commercial and private recreation facilities.
K. 
Dairies and processing of dairy products.
L. 
Drive-in theaters.
M. 
Fertilizer plants and yards.
N. 
Firearm sales at a rifle or pistol range.
O. 
Garbage and refuse incineration.
P. 
Gas and oil wells.
Q. 
Golf courses and golf driving ranges.
R. 
Guest ranches.
S. 
Hog and livestock raising, not including feedlots where more than 50 percent of the feed is imported.
T. 
Hospitals.
U. 
Nursery schools.
V. 
Nursing homes, senior care/assisted living facilities, and sanitariums.
W. 
Poultry raising, egg processing, and hatcheries.
X. 
Private schools.
Y. 
Public utility and public service facilities including pumping stations, power transmission stations, power distribution stations, equipment buildings, service yards, drainageways and structures, water reservoirs, percolation basins, well fields, storage tanks, and railroad facilities. These facilities must be found by the planning commission to be necessary for the public health, safety, or welfare.
Z. 
Rabbit raising.
AA. 
Recreational vehicle storage facilities.
BB. 
Riding academies and stables.
CC. 
Rifle and pistol ranges.
DD. 
Roadside stands for the sale of agricultural produce grown on the site.
EE. 
Sanitary landfill operations.
FF. 
Veterinarians' offices.
GG. 
Wineries, winery sales and tasting rooms.
HH. 
Wood sales and storage yards for unmilled lumber.
(Prior code § 2-6.03; Ord. 1126 § 4, 1984; Ord. 1157 § 1, 1984; Ord. 1738 § 1, 1998; Ord. 1743, 1998; Ord. 1880, 2003; Ord. 2062 § 2, 2013; Ord. 2086 § 2, 2014; Ord. 2113 § 1, 2015; Ord. 2244 § 2, 2023)
The following uses shall not be permitted in the A district:
Any use not specifically or conditionally permitted by this chapter, unless a determination is made under Chapter 18.128 of this title.
(Ord. 1880, 2003)
No signs, outdoor advertising structure, or display of any character shall be permitted in the A district, except as prescribed in Chapter 18.96 of this title.
(Prior code § 2-6.06)
All uses shall be subject to design review as prescribed in Chapter 18.20 of this title except for accessory dwelling units as provided in Chapter 18.106. Applicants are advised to confer with the zoning administrator before preparing detailed plans.
(Prior code § 2-6.07; Ord. 1656 § 1, 1995; Ord. 2213 § 2, 2021)