16.21.010 Intent.
It is the intent of this chapter to:
A. Develop opportunities for a range of urban agricultural activities, at a level and intensity that is compatible with Lacey’s neighborhoods.
B. Define levels of urban agriculture beneficial to neighborhoods and specific zoning designations, considering the context of Lacey’s urbanized areas.
C. Establish design standards to ensure urban agricultural activities do not compromise the livability of neighborhoods by introducing nuisances that could degrade the quality of life for surrounding residents. Nuisances include, but are not limited to, such things as:
•Noise.
•Odors from poor care and clean up of animal waste.
•Pest problems from improper feeding techniques.
•Aesthetic impacts.
•Other issues that are disruptive to the neighborhood or distract from the quality and enjoyment of the neighborhood environment.
D. Encourage and support personal urban agricultural opportunities for individuals and families.
E. Encourage and support urban agricultural opportunities for community groups, religious organizations, home owner associations and food co-ops.
F. Encourage the preservation of good agricultural uses for their value as economic assets as well as their value as open space, contribution to sustainability and healthy lifestyle and food choices for the community;
G. Provide a designation exclusively for agricultural activities that pre-existed Lacey’s first GMA Plan and those agricultural uses that are of a size and intensity they need space and standards to coexist in an urbanized area to avoid compatibility issues.
H. Retain the Agricultural District designation to serve as a place holder with a viable use pending the need for transition to other urban uses. This is intended to facilitate the orderly transition of properties that are being used for agricultural production to more intensive residential use, if and when such agricultural uses are no longer feasible for economic, cultural or technical reasons. (Ord. 1368 §10, 2011).