For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply unless otherwise provided herein:
"Agricultural production"
means the production for commercial purposes of crops, livestock and livestock products, and other agricultural products, including the processing or retail sales by the producer of such products which are produced on the parcel or in the district.
"Agricultural products"
means crops, livestock and livestock products, including but not limited to: field crops, fruits, vegetables, horticultural specialties, cattle, sheep, hogs, goats, horses, poultry, furbearing animals, milk, eggs and furs.
"Application"
means the set of items an owner of land or owners of land, landowner or landowners must submit to the local governing body when applying for the creation of a district or an addition to an existing district.
"District"
means an agricultural-forestal area comprised of one or more parcels as designated for inclusion in a district as specified herein.
"Forestal production"
means the production for commercial purposes of forestal products and includes the processing or retail sales, by the producer, of forestal products which are produced on the parcel or in the district.
"Forestal products"
means, but is not limited to, saw timber, pulpwood, posts, firewood, Christmas trees and other tree and wood products for sale or for farm use.
"Intensive agriculture facility"
means any building or structure housing more than 10 animals or any dead animal disposal facility.
"Owner or owners of land"
means any person who holds a direct or indirect fee simple interest in property or a direct or indirect controlling or other interest in an entity that holds a direct or indirect fee simple interest in land and other property but does not include the holder of an easement.
"Person"
means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, cooperative, trust, business trust, joint venture, or any other entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof.
(Ord. 2010-29)
Pursuant to the Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there are hereby continued agricultural-forestal districts, subject to the terms, conditions, and restrictions set forth in this chapter and as otherwise provided by Sections 15.2-4300 through and including 15.2-4314 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, the provisions of which, except as specifically modified herein, to the extent permitted by law, are adopted and incorporated herein by reference.
(Zoning ordinance Art. 4 § 16; Ord. 2004-38; Ord. 2010-29)
(1) 
Districts. The agricultural, or sometimes referred to as agricultural and forestal or agricultural-forestal, districts designated and the land included within the districts are the following:
(a) 
The Bell's Lane Agricultural and Forestal District shall consist of the following land, to wit:
(i) 
1,662.34 acres of land, more or less, situated in the city of Staunton, Virginia, bounded generally on the west by Commerce Road, on the north by State Route 262 (formerly State Route 275), on the east by Interstate 81, and on the south by Route 254, which includes the land identified by the city of Staunton assessor as parcel numbers 10140, 10143, 10146, 10149, 10152, 10169, 10176, 10182, 10187, 10369, 10375, 10410, 10413, 10418, 10420, 10423, 10430, 10438, 10442 and 11121, and as further shown on the map entitled "Ag-Forestal Districts" made by the engineering department of the city of Staunton, dated October 25, 2004, a copy of which map shall be on file with the department of planning and inspection and the city assessor's office.
(ii) 
26.19 acres of land, more or less, situated in the city of Staunton, Virginia, bounded generally on the east by Interstate 81 and on the south, west and north by the land of Lewis W. Moore, lying along the southeastern margin of Lewis Creek and encompassing the land identified by the city of Staunton as parcel number 10484.
(b) 
The Merrifield Agricultural and Forestal District shall consist of the following land, to wit:
(i) 
218.441 acres of land, more or less, situated in the city of Staunton, Virginia, at the northwest quadrant of the intersection of U.S. Route 11 and State Route 262 (formerly State Route 275), and identified by the city of Staunton assessor as parcel number 10329 and shown on the aforementioned map as "Hereford," and more particularly shown and described as Parcel A-2 on the "Survey Plat of Property of E. Monroe Bonfoey and Sarah D. Witz Bonfoey," a copy of which plat is recorded in the clerk's office of the circuit court of the city of Staunton, Virginia, in Deed Book 305, Page 858.
(ii) 
147.202 acres of land, more or less, situated in the city of Staunton, Virginia, adjoining the land described in subsection (1)(b)(i) of this section and shown on the map aforementioned as "Bonfoey," and more particularly shown and described on the plat, aforesaid, as Parcel A-1 (excluding 2.999 acres shown on said plat as Parcel B) and identified by the city of Staunton assessor as parcel number 10881.
(iii) 
196.13 acres of land, more or less, situated in the city of Staunton, Virginia, known as "Cobble Hill," identified by the city of Staunton assessor as parcel numbers 10007, 10008 and 10010 and shown on the map aforementioned as "Craske."
(c) 
The M.O. Carr Agricultural and Forestal District shall consist of the following land, to wit:
(i) 
40.67 acres of land, more or less, and shown on the map aforementioned as "Hardy" and identified by the city of Staunton assessor as parcel number 10012.
(ii) 
35.167 acres of land, more or less, and shown on the map aforementioned as "Johnson" and identified by the city of Staunton assessor as parcel number 10472.
(iii) 
10.54 acres of land, more or less, known as the "Thompson" property and consisting of two parcels identified and shown by the city as parcel number 9996, containing approximately 0.950 acres, and parcel number 10824, containing approximately 9.404 acres.
(iv) 
45.56 acres of land, more or less, known as the "Labrehab at Windy Oaks, LLC" property and consisting of six parcels identified and shown by the city as parcel identification numbers 11544, containing approximately 0.931 acres, parcel number 10046, containing approximately 10.869 acres, parcel number 10047, containing approximately 13.389 acres, parcel number 9975, containing approximately 7.464 acres, parcel number 101897, containing approximately 8.715 acres, and parcel number 101898, containing approximately 4.19 acres.
(d) 
The Middlebrook Agricultural and Forestal District shall consist of the following land, to wit:
221.266 acres of land, more or less, situated in the city of Staunton, Virginia, fronting approximately 6,500 feet along the southwestern city limits at the northwest corner of the intersection of Middlebrook Avenue and State Route 262 (formerly State Route 275), adjoining Montgomery Hall Park on the northeast, Augusta County on the southwest, CSX Railroad on the northwest and Middlebrook Avenue on the southeast, which includes the lands identified by the city of Staunton assessor as parcel numbers 10098, 10126, 10311, 10099, 10103, 10510 and 10097, and as further shown on the map entitled "Exhibit D.1. – Boundary Map," a copy of which map shall be on file with the department of planning and inspection and the city assessor's office.
(2) 
Additions to Districts. Additional parcels of land may be added to an existing district at any time by following the process and application deadlines prescribed for the creation of a new district. The assessor for the city of Staunton shall specify an application form and, as necessary, other forms related to any proposed additional district and for proposed land to be added to a district consistent with the provisions of this chapter.
(Zoning ordinance Art. 4 § 16; Ord. 2004-38; Ord. 2009-05; Ord. 2009-06; Ord. 2010-29; Ord. 2015-02; Ord. 2020-01; Ord. 2020-16; Ord. 2023-37; Ord. 2023-39)
(1) 
Required Uses. Land included within the districts under this chapter shall be used solely for agricultural products, agricultural productions, forestal products, and forestal production, except as otherwise specifically limited or permitted, and shall continuously be so used to manifest active, bona fide agricultural and forestal production of a significant nature and degree. Not later than July 1st of each year, each owner of land in a district shall file with the assessor for the city of Staunton a fully complete affidavit as to each such parcel of land as identified separately within the district in SCC § 18.95.020, in a form specified by the assessor, that verifies the use of the land within the district satisfies these conditions. Owners shall be permitted a 30-day period extension to file the affidavit as to each such parcel as identified separately within the district in SCC § 18.95.020 upon satisfactory proof of payment within such 30-day extension period to the Staunton city treasurer of a late filing fee of $100.00 or 10 percent of the tax savings, whichever is greater, as to each separately identified parcel within the district. Owners shall be permitted an immediately successive 30-day period filing extension as to each such separately identified parcel within the district upon satisfactory proof of payment within such 30-day extension period to the Staunton city treasurer of a late filing fee of an additional $100.00 or 10 percent of the tax savings, whichever is greater, as to each. In no event, however, shall the total extension exceed two immediately successive 30-day periods, totaling 60 days. Absent timely filing of a properly completed affidavit and timely payment of late filing fee(s), if applicable, land included in a district shall be regarded as suspended from inclusion in the district for the following calendar year for purposes of qualification for an agricultural or forestal use-value assessment pursuant to Article 4 (Section 58.1-3229 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia.
(2) 
Other Permitted Uses. Construction and placement of dwellings for persons who earn a substantial part of their livelihood from farm or forestry operations on the same property, or for members of the immediate family of the owner, and divisions of parcels for dwellings of such immediate family members shall be permitted subject to the following limitations and regulations:
(a) 
Any new dwelling permitted hereunder must be located on a platted lot approved in accordance with the provisions of SCC § 17.10.070, Minor subdivision plats.
(b) 
Minimum lot area: one acre.
(c) 
Maximum lot coverage: 10 percent.
(d) 
Lots must abut at least 30 feet on a public or private street.
(e) 
All buildings on a lot must be set back at least 100 feet from the front lot line, 50 feet from the rear lot line, and 50 feet from the side lot lines.
(f) 
Dwellings shall not exceed 35 feet or two and one-half stories, whichever is greater. All other buildings or structures, unless exempted by Chapter 18.115 SCC, shall not exceed one story or 15 feet, whichever is greater.
(3) 
Nothing herein shall prohibit the carrying out of agritourism activities, as defined in Section 3.2-6400 of the Code of Virginia, or other activities in accordance with Section 15.2-2288.6 of the Code of Virginia, on the land within these districts, except to the extent such activities substantially impact the health, safety, or general welfare of the public as further identified by the city council in this code, or constitute a nuisance as defined in this code or in Section 15.2-900 of the Code of Virginia.
(Zoning ordinance Art. 4 § 16; Ord. 2004-38; Ord. 2010-29; Ord. 2018-26; Ord. 2020-01)
These districts are overlay districts and upon termination of any of the districts or withdrawal of any parcel from a district, when permitted, the underlying zoning with its rules and regulations shall continue to be in effect.
(Zoning ordinance Art. 4 § 16; Ord. 2004-38; Ord. 2010-29; Ord. 2020-01)
If, in the creation of a lot pursuant to SCC § 18.95.030(2)(a), a private road is created, no city services such as, but not limited to, snow and ice removal and trash collection will be provided to such lot. In addition, emergency services such as fire and rescue may be limited.
(Zoning ordinance Art. 4 § 16; Ord. 2004-38; Ord. 2010-29; Ord. 2020-01)
(1) 
Land included in a district shall be regarded as suspended from inclusion in the district for the following calendar year for purposes of qualification for agricultural or forestal use-value assessment pursuant to Article 4 (Section 58.1-3229 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia if, as of June 30th or December 31st, any owner of land is delinquent as to any amounts, including but not limited to taxes, fees, and charges, or any other sum for which the person has been determined to be liable to the city of Staunton even though the matter may be in contest. The city director of finance, treasurer, and commissioner of revenue shall certify to the assessor the name of any such person and shall, together with the city assessor, regard the land as suspended from inclusion in the corresponding district for the following calendar year for this purpose, to the fullest extent permitted by law.
(2) 
No land within a district shall be removed from the district except with the approval of the council of the city of Staunton, upon a showing of good and reasonable cause.
(3) 
During the term of the districts, no parcel of land within the districts shall, without the prior approval of the council of the city of Staunton, be developed to any more intensive use than existed at the date of the creation of these districts, other than uses resulting in more intensive agricultural or forestal production, and no parcel of common or related ownership within the districts may have thereon, at any particular time, more than 10 turkeys, 10 hogs, and 20 chickens.
(4) 
By having land in an existing or in an added district, any owner of land in a district accordingly deems and stipulates that the value of such land shall, for all purposes related to the acquisition of any easement interest in the land for a public use for water and/or sewer utility facilities or ingress and egress right-of-way to such facilities by the city of Staunton or its authorities as authorized by law, be the same value used for assessment pursuant to Article 4 (Section 58.1-3229 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia, to the fullest extent permitted by law.
(5) 
No intensive agriculture facility shall be closer than 500 feet from a nonagricultural district and 100 feet from any property line or street right-of-way line.
(Zoning ordinance Art. 4 § 16; Ord. 2004-38; Ord. 2010-29; Ord. 2020-01)
(1) 
A review of the Bell's Lane Agricultural and Forestal District, the Merrifield Agricultural and Forestal District, the M. O. Carr Agricultural and Forestal District, and the Middlebrook Agricultural and Forestal District as identified in SCC § 18.95.020, including any additions to any district, may be made by the council of the city of Staunton on the date 10 years measured from the effective date of the continuation of those districts as provided by, and in accordance with, Section 15.2-4311 of the Code of Virginia, as amended; except, however, a review is and shall be unnecessary prior to a new 10-year period which shall commence January 1, 2021, and expire December 31, 2030, with the next review, therefore, to occur in the year 2030 consistent with Section 15.2-4311 of the Code of Virginia.
(2) 
Repealed by Ord. 2020-16.
(3) 
Each district created hereunder shall be so reviewed on an individual basis, and the continuation of one or its termination shall not automatically continue or terminate any other district.
(Zoning ordinance Art. 4 § 16; Ord. 2004-38; Ord. 2009-05; Ord. 2010-29; Ord. 2015-03; Ord. 2020-16)
If any of the provisions of any subsection, paragraph, subdivision or clause of this chapter shall be judged invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such order or judgment shall not affect or invalidate the remainder of any subsection, paragraph, subdivision or clause of the chapter.
(Ord. 2010-29)