"Farmland of local importance" is an overlay district in which property owners who wish to protect large unbroken tracts of land may create an overlay zone in the RDD underlying districts that limits minimum lot size to large parcels and protects and encourages the preservation of larger farms and farm forests where conflicts may arise between these activities and other forms of development allowed in the underlying zones.
The designation of farmlands of local importance is applied to those agricultural lands voluntarily nominated by the landowner which are not designated commercial farmland and meet the following criteria:
(1) 
Formal Designation ("Opt-In"). Farmlands of local importance shall only be designated by the board of county commissioners upon a voluntary petition for such designation by the landowner pursuant to the requirements of LCC § 17.30.670. Such applications shall be processed as a Type V amendment to the county comprehensive plan and development regulations.
(2) 
Minimum Acreage. There is no minimum acreage requirement. Farmlands of local importance shall be designated upon a showing that the property meets the Consolidated Farm Services Agency, USDA, definition of commercial agriculture.
(3) 
Minimum Period for Commitment to Designation. The landowner petitioning for designation as a farmland of local importance shall be required to commit the property to remain in that designation for 10 years. The designation may be renewed by the landowner at the end of the 10-year period; provided, that renewal of the designation shall not be considered an amendment to the comprehensive plan or zoning regulations.
(4) 
Current Agricultural Land Use. The property is currently devoted to agricultural activities.
(Formerly 17.30.590; Ord. 1151 § 5.3, 1996; Ord. 1157, 1998; Ord. 1170B, 2000; Ord. 1179C § 1, 2003; Ord. 1179R § 1, 2007; Ord. 1197 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1269 § 14, 2016)
(1) 
This section shall apply to all lots, tracts, or parcels on designated agricultural resource land located within the jurisdiction of Lewis County. The approximate location and extent of farmlands of long-term commercial significance shall be displayed on assessor's maps marked with significant agricultural lands on file at Lewis County and in the database of the Lewis County Geographic Information System.
(2) 
In the event of a conflict between the information shown on the maps referred to above and the database and information shown as a result of field investigation, the latter shall prevail.
(3) 
In the event any farmland of long-term commercial significance shown on the maps referenced above and the database are in conflict with the criteria of this chapter the criteria of this chapter shall prevail.
(Formerly 17.30.600; Ord. 1151 § 5.4, 1996; Ord. 1157, 1998; Ord. 1170B, 2000; Ord. 1197 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1269 § 14, 2016)
(1) 
This section is intended to provide relief for property owners in ARL where prime soils, as listed in the comprehensive plan, do not underlie the entire parcel. The special use process (Chapter 17.158 LCC) for residential, recreational, and other nonresource uses shall be used to determine if, and under what conditions, such uses shall be permitted.
(Ord. 1197 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1269 § 14, 2016)
(1) 
Property owners who believe a parcel has been included in agricultural resource land in error may request redesignation of that parcel as a Type V application per Chapter 17.05 LCC.
(2) 
Property owners who claim a parcel was included in agricultural resource land in error due to incorrect mapping of prime soils, as listed in the land use element of the comprehensive plan, shall provide a written report by a certified soils scientist documenting the actual soils conditions on the parcel. The application shall be considered a Type V application per Chapter 17.05 LCC.
(3) 
Property owners who claim a parcel was included in agricultural resource land in error because soils on the parcel are classified by the National Resources Conservation Service as "prime farmland if drained" and the soils are not drained; or "prime farmland if drained and either protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing season" and the soils are not drained and are not protected from flooding or are subject to flooding during the growing season; or "prime farmland if irrigated" and the parcel is not irrigated due to lack of necessary water rights shall provide a written declaration documenting the drainage or irrigation status of the soils on the parcel. The reclassification will be considered a Type V application per Chapter 17.05 LCC.
(4) 
Property owners who claim a parcel was included in agricultural resource land in error due to an incorrect assessment of the presence of a commercial, non-soil-dependent agricultural use shall provide a written declaration documenting the absence of such use thereby rendering the parcel no longer devoted to or capable of long-term commercial agriculture. The reclassification will be considered a Type V application per Chapter 17.05 LCC.
(Ord. 1197 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1207 § 2 (Exh. D), 2009; Ord. 1269 § 14, 2016)
The intent and purpose of this section is to maintain and enhance resource-based industries, encourage the conservation of agricultural lands, and discourage incompatible uses. All primary and accessory uses shall be entitled to protection under the protective provisions of Chapter 17.40 LCC.
(Formerly 17.30.610; Ord. 1151 § 5.5, 1996; Ord. 1157, 1998; Ord. 1170B, 2000; Ord. 1197 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1269 § 14, 2016; Ord. 1367 (Exh. C), 2025)
See Chapter 17.42 LCC, Table 2, Land Use Summary.
(Formerly 17.30.620; Ord. 1151 § 5.5(A), 1996; Ord. 1179C § 1, 2003; Ord. 1197 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1207 § 2 (Exh. D), 2009; Ord. 1269 § 14, 2016; Ord. 1274 § 4, 2017; Ord. 1367 (Exh. C), 2025)
The minimum lot area for any new subdivision, short subdivision, large lot subdivision or exempt segregation of property shall be as follows, except for parcels to be used for uses and activities provided under LCC § 17.30.610 through § 17.30.630:
(1) 
Development Standards - Division of Land for Sale or Lease. The minimum lot area for the subdivision of agricultural resource lands shall be 20 acres; provided, however, that a clustered residential subdivision may be approved under the following circumstances:
(a) 
The proposal is consistent with the standards in Chapter 16.18 LCC and the standards for incidental residential use consistent with LCC § 17.30.630.
(b) 
The plat sets aside the balance of the prime farmlands in a designated agricultural tract, or a lot appropriate for long-term agricultural use.
(c) 
The plat contains the note included in LCC § 17.30.370.
(Formerly 17.30.660; Ord. 1151 § 5.6, 1996; Ord. 1157, 1998; Ord. 1170B, 2000; Ord. 1179, 2002; Ord. 1179C § 1, 2003; Ord. 1197 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1207 § 2 (Exh. D), 2009; Ord. 1269 § 14, 2016; Ord. 1283 § 8, 2017)
An "opt-in" provision is provided for the voluntary designation of properties as farmland of local importance by the property owner(s) upon the timely written notification to the administrator of their desire for such designation. Such application for designation shall be processed as a Type V amendment to the comprehensive plan and development regulations. Such amendments are processed on a yearly basis, consistent with Chapter 17.12 LCC.
(1) 
Criteria for Approval of Applications for Voluntary Designation of Farmlands of Local Importance. Lewis County shall approve applications for designation as farmland of local importance if the following criteria are met:
(a) 
The property meets the classification criteria set forth for farmlands of local importance in LCC § 17.30.570; and
(b) 
The property owner, as part of the application, provides a notarized statement that he or she will voluntarily commit the subject property to the designation for a period of not less than 10 years from the date of any approval of the application.
(2) 
Process for Approval of Applications for Designation as Farmland of Local Importance.
(a) 
Designation of farmland of local importance shall be considered as a Type V application.
(b) 
The board of county commissioners shall make a final decision following the receipt of the recommendation of the planning commission. The board shall hold a public hearing on the matter. The board shall make written findings for its decision and such findings shall be available to the public upon request.
(Formerly 17.30.700; Ord. 1151 § 5.10, 1996; Ord. 1157, 1998; Ord. 1170B, 2000; Ord. 1179, 2002; Ord. 1179C § 1, 2003; Ord. 1197 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1269 § 14, 2016)
(1) 
Assessment Relief.
(a) 
The Lewis County assessor shall consider the agricultural resource lands regulations contained in this chapter when determining the fair market value of land.
(b) 
Any owner of an agricultural resource land who has dedicated a conservation easement to or entered into a perpetual conservation restriction with a department of the local, state, or federal government, or to a nonprofit organization, to permanently control some or all of the uses and activities within this area may request that the Lewis County assessor reevaluate that specific area with those restrictions.
(c) 
The administrator shall notify the assessor's office of any application of this chapter which results in building restrictions on a particular site.
(2) 
Open Space. Subject to the criteria established by law, any person who owns a designated agricultural resource land as identified by this section may apply for current use assessment pursuant to Chapter 84.34 RCW. The Open Space Tax Act allows Lewis County to designate lands which should be taxed at their current use value. The county has programs for agricultural lands, small forest lands less than 20 acres in size, and other open spaces.
(Formerly 17.30.710; Ord. 1151 § 5.10, 1996; Ord. 1157, 1998; Ord. 1170B, 2000; Ord. 1197 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1269 § 14, 2016)