Rock Island County, IL Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- AG-1 lot minimum
- 40 acres, 165-ft width
- AG-1 residential cap
- 1 dwelling per tax parcel
- Roadside stands
- only on-premises grown products
- Special-use board
- Zoning Board of Appeals
- Zoning penalty
- $25-$200 per offense, § 154.999
- Effective ordinance date
- passed 5-16-2023
Summary
Unincorporated Rock Island County zones farmland under the AG-1 Agricultural Preservation District and AG-2 General Agricultural District, both built to shield working farms from encroaching non-farm development rather than to phase agriculture out for rooftops.
(B) More specifically, the District is established to severely restrict non-farm development in predominantly agricultural areas in order to: (1) Preserve productive agricultural land for continued food and fiber production; (2) Protect productive farms from encroachment by incompatible non-farm uses; (3) Maintain the existing agricultural processing and related service industries; and (4) Preserve the maximum freedom of operation for those legitimate agricultural purposes permitted in this District.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-1: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 2024-12-A, passed 12-17-2024; and State legislation current through 2024 Illinois Legislative Service, Pamphlet #6).
Full Breakdown
090. 091 caps residential development at one single-family detached dwelling per tax parcel, alongside private stables, minor home occupations, and roadside stands selling only what is grown on the premises. 095 sets the base lot standard for AG-1 at a 40-acre lot with 165-foot width, 40-foot front yard, 15-foot least side yard, and a 40-foot rear yard. 110, takes a somewhat looser approach: it protects agricultural land from indiscriminate development while allowing non-farm residential development "on a limited basis" for parcels too close to existing development to justify AG-1's tighter restrictions.
113, meaning a farmer expanding into commercial processing or storage cannot simply build; the operation must clear a special-use hearing first. Rural residential lots and mobile home hardship dwellings likewise require special-use approval in AG-1, keeping the base district oriented toward active farming rather than acreage subdivision.
Violations & Fines
Violating any zoning provision in Chapter 154, including building or operating outside the permitted or approved special uses in AG-1 or AG-2, exposes a person, firm, or corporation to a forfeiture of not less than $25 nor more than $200 per offense plus prosecution costs under Section 154.999(A). Nonpayment can mean County Jail confinement of up to 30 days, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a second house on my AG-1 farm parcel?
Does Rock Island County allow farm stands without a permit?
What is the difference between AG-1 and AG-2?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rock Island County
Compare Rock Island County to another location·View the Illinois right to farm overview
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