§ 20.08G.010. Purpose statement.

The purpose of the agritourism overlay district (AOD) is:

1.

To preserve working lands and support the agricultural industry of Thurston County as a viable economic activity and discourage conversion to other incompatible uses.

2.

To provide clear legislative authority for agricultural land-owners to launch agritourism activities in specific rural areas of Thurston County as a way to supplement their income, educate visitors about their way of life, and share their agricultural heritage with others.

3.

To protect and promote agriculture as an important component of the Thurston County economy.

4.

To implement the goals and objectives of the Thurston County Comprehensive Plan, which recognizes the economic, environmental, and cultural benefits of our agricultural and working lands.

5.

To empower farmers and other rural land owners to start new, entrepreneurial endeavors that augment, and highlight the importance of local agriculture.

6.

To entice visitors to rural Thurston County to see and experience the value of local agricultural lands to our culture, economy, landscape and local food supply.

7.

To boost agricultural commerce in rural Thurston County by establishing a broad overlay district that reduces barriers and inconsistencies among the base zoning districts, while maintaining and promoting the high quality of the environment and the economy in rural Thurston County.

8.

This chapter places no new restrictions or limitations on legal, existing or allowed uses within the AOD. The intent of this section is only to add new allowed uses and to ease some land use restrictions which pose regulatory barriers to a healthy and sustainable agricultural economy. Additionally, this section is meant to promote and build on the inherent strengths of Thurston County with a particular focus on rural, southern Thurston County. The provisions of this chapter do not apply to lands zoned as public parks, trails and preserves (PP) or rural resource industrial (RRI).

(Ord. No. 14725, § 2(Att. B), 3-13-2012)