Agricultural tourism laws, zoning exemptions

10/14/2010

Ag tourism laws: you can get an application from the planning department.  Requirements are: you need to be a farm that makes at least $10,000 per year in agricultural income, which can include any prepared food you sell.  You can’t make any more in tourism activities than you do in farm income, because your farming needs to be your main activities.

Exemptions to zoning laws as was done in New Mexico seem less likely to be passed, because they are too loose and vague.  Scott supports us clearly identifying what problems we are having, and seeing if we have any way to work with existing laws to do what we want to do.  If we can work with existing laws, as in special use permits, then we do not need a new law.

We may want an amendment to existing laws, to allow for Multi purpose zoning areas in which we can do sustainable farming and community.

Call them Sustainable Multi Use Zones: Use of 50% or more of locally sourced, renewable resources in farming, building and recycling.