Right to Farm in Johnston County, NC (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated Johnston County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Farm Nuisance Protection
Johnston County's zoning chapter does not apply to bona fide farms. Section 14-7 exempts any farm operation covered by G.S. 106-2 from the Land Development Code entirely, though the same property loses that exemption the moment it is used for a nonfarm purpose, which then falls back under full zoning regulation.
Johnston County Bona Fide Farm Exemption
Few RestrictionsJohnston County Code § 14-7
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect bona fide farms as covered by G.S. 106-2 et seq., but any use of such property for nonfarm purposes shall be subject to the regulations of this chapter.
Agricultural Zoning Protection
Johnston County's Voluntary Agricultural District ordinance (County Code §§ 3-25 through 3-174) lets farmers with at least 25 contiguous acres, or three qualifying farms within a half mile of each other, enroll qualifying farmland in a county-recognized agricultural district. Enrolled farmland gets a formal public-hearing process before any government agency can condemn it, plus a recorded notice warning buyers the land sits near working farms.
Johnston County Voluntary Agricultural District Protections
Some RestrictionsJohnston County Code §§ 3-65, 3-145
In order to implement the purposes stated in section 3-27, this program provides for the creation of voluntary agricultural districts which meet the following standards: (1) The district shall contain a minimum of 25 contiguous acres of qualified farmland; or (2) The district shall contain three or more qualified farms within one-half mile of each other. ... Pursuant to G.S 106-740, which provi...
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