Burlington, WI Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)

Section 315-15 establishes the A-1 Agricultural/Holding District as a holding zone meant to keep general farming and related activity viable in parts of Burlington that have not yet been committed to urban development, and to protect those lands from premature development pressure until an orderly transition occurs. The district's permitted uses cover general farming activities by name: agriculture, dairying, floriculture, forestry, grazing, hay, orchards, truck farming and viticulture (grape growing). That broad farming permission comes with an animal-siting condition: farm buildings that house animals, along with barnyards and feedlots, cannot be located in a floodland and must sit at least 100 feet from any navigable water or district boundary.

A separate provision addresses livestock kept for agribusiness, show, or breeding purposes: hogs and fur-bearing animals are prohibited outright, and every other type of livestock is capped at one head per 2 1/2 acres, or 20 head of poultry per 2 1/2 acres. Beyond straight farming, the A-1 district allows existing dwellings left over after farm consolidations, one farm dwelling per operating farm as an accessory use, and roadside stands selling farm products grown on the premises, provided the stand meets the chapter's setback and sign rules.

Larger or more intensive agricultural operations, including commercial feedlots, livestock sales facilities, and fur farms, require Plan Commission approval as conditional uses under § 315-130, as do veterinary clinics, bed-and-breakfasts, and farm labor housing. Minimum lot standards apply too: new farm structures need at least five contiguous acres and 300 feet of parcel width, while a 25-foot street setback, 25-foot side yards, and a 50-foot rear yard govern building placement, and no building may exceed 60 feet in height.