(a) “CA” Commercial Agriculture. The purposes of the “CA” Commercial Agriculture Zone District are to preserve the commercial agricultural lands within Santa Cruz County which are a limited and irreplaceable natural resource, to maintain the economic integrity of the economic farm units comprising the commercial agricultural areas of the County, to implement the agricultural preservation policy of Section 16.50.010 of the Santa Cruz County Code, and to maintain and enhance the general welfare of the county as a whole by preserving and protecting agriculture, one of the County’s major industries. Within the “CA” Commercial Agriculture Zone District, commercial agriculture shall be encouraged to the exclusion of other land uses which may conflict with it.
(b) “A” Agriculture. The purposes of the “A” Agriculture Zone District are to encourage and provide for noncommercial agricultural uses, such as family farming and animal raising, and to allow limited commercial agricultural activities, on the small amounts of agricultural land remaining in the County which are not designated as commercially suitable, but which still constitute a productive natural resource; to provide for agricultural uses of a higher intensity in rural areas than those allowed in the “RA” Residential Agricultural Zone District where such use is compatible with the surrounding land uses and the environmental constraints of the land; to maintain options for a diversity of farm operations; to implement the agricultural preservation policy of Chapter 16.50 of the County Code; and to maintain productive open space and rural character in the county.
(c) “AP” Agricultural Preserve. The purposes of the “CA” Zone District shall apply to the “AP” Agricultural Preserve Zone District. The “AP” regulations are designated to apply only to lands located within an agricultural preserve established in accordance with the provisions of the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 as now enacted or as hereafter amended, and which are within the “AP” Zone District as of July 27, 1982.
(d) Interpretation of Provisions. The provisions of this Chapter shall be liberally interpreted insofar as they apply to agricultural pursuits and services and shall not be deemed or construed to interfere with any normal accessory use conducted in conjunction therewith. It is the intention of the county to retain for commercial agricultural production, and to encourage the commercial agricultural use of, lands designated by the Board of Supervisors as Type 1, Type 2, or Type 3 Agricultural Lands on the map entitled “Agricultural Resources” on file with the Planning Department; to provide maximum protection to existing and future agricultural enterprises from restrictions which may be instituted later at the request of future residents; to restrict incompatible development on or adjacent to agricultural land; and to maintain the existing parcel sizes for parcels zoned “CA” and “AP,” except where it is clearly demonstrated that any division of such parcels shall not diminish the productivity or in any way hamper or discourage long-term commercial agricultural operations on said parcels or adjoining or nearby parcels. (Ord. 1283, 1/2/68; 1639, 9/21/71; 2450, 6/21/77; 2622, 1/23/79; 3186, 1/12/82; 3344, 11/23/82; 3432, 8/23/83)