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1-15.3 “A-2” Agricultural Residential District “The A-2 Agricultural Residential District is a floating zone intended to allow very limited residential use in primarily agricultural areas of the County. It is intended to preserve as much farmland for agricultural use as possible, without creating a precedence for future residential subdivisions. It provides a means for splitting off an existing farm home with a minimal amount of land, to sell or to separate from the farmland for financing or other purposes, and also to allow a new home on a small lot, if it is needed to continue or promote farming operations in the area. The A-2 district should be minimized to include mainly the ground where the home, farm buildings, well, septic system, driveway and yard areas are on the parcel. The home may be platted off, but no additional homes will be allowed on either the home lot or the balance of the parcel(s) being surveyed unless rezoned for that use. The purpose of this district is to preserve valuable farmland, to preserve the value of existing housing stock in the rural areas, and to provide options for people to live in the rural areas of the County, but not to create subdivisions. That would require the property to be rezoned to an “R” Residential district. The A-2 district also allows summer cottages to be placed in non-farmed areas of the county.”

Staff comment: The proposed reclassification of 2.551 acres to A-2 Agricultural Residential can also be considered appropriate. The area to be rezoned will more than meet the minimum lot size requirements for a single-family dwelling. The proposed lot will encompass the existing farm buildings and house along Placid Road. There should be minimal to no impact to productive agricultural land, and the Wilwerts will continue to. This purpose statement fits with the purpose of the A-2 Agricultural Residential zoning district.

12. To provide a variety of housing opportunities within the unincorporated areas in appropriate locations

12.7 Investigate establishment of simplified development regulations to allow the division of “old” farmsteads from current agricultural operations, which does not create non-conformities, based upon the potential number of such divisions.

Staff comment: This is the oft-cited Objective used to justify some of these A-2 splits, and this rezoning will accommodate the division of a farmstead.

3. To recognize agricultural land outside the urban fringe areas as an important natural resource of the region, and to preserve agricultural soils that have historically exhibited high crop yields and are considered most suitable for agricultural production.

○ 3.1. Discourage development of productive agricultural soils by nonfarm uses in the nonfringe areas.

○ 3.3. Agricultural land in Dubuque County is an important natural resource and it should always be our goal to protect and preserve as much of it as possible.

Staff comment: The reclassification to A-2 Agricultural Residential should not significantly affect agricultural production onsite. The existing dwelling is considered Farm Exempt per Iowa Code 335.2 and by our own process of recognizing the exempt status of anything 39 acres or more used for agricultural production.

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