Dade City, FL Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- District
- Open Use Agriculture (OUA), LDR § 3.2
- Purpose
- Supports agriculture, ag-support uses, rural character
- Residential limit
- Low-density or cluster/conservation subdivision
- Ag-support standards
- Separation/screening rules at LDR § 4.3.3
- Dimensional table
- LDR § 5.1.1 / Table 5.1-1
Summary
Dade City protects farmland through its Open Use Agriculture (OUA) zoning district rather than a standalone right-to-farm ordinance. LDR §§ 3.2.1-3.2.2 direct the OUA District to support agriculture and agriculture-support uses and to keep new residential development consistent with the area's rural, agricultural character.
The OUA District is established and intended to: (A)Agriculture Supportive Uses. Support the primary use of land for agriculture and agriculture support uses to help maintain the agricultural and rural character of the district;(B)Ensure Residential Development Consistent with Rural and Agricultural Character. Ensure that residential development is consistent with the rural and agricultural character of the district, by requiring either low density residential development or encouraging residential cluster and conservation subdivisions and subdivisions that are harmonious with the rural economy and agricultural uses; and(C)Consistent with Comprehensive Plan. Be consistent with the areas designated as agriculture on the Comprehensive Plan. ... The OUA District is intended to provide for areas primarily consisting of open spaces, agriculture uses and agriculture support uses and also allow low density single-family residential development. Residential cluster development is encouraged through the use of the Conservation Subdivision option (see Section 7.9, Conservation Subdivision).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 18 | Land Development Regulations: Supplement 1).
Full Breakdown
Dade City, Pasco County, Florida, does not have a separate right-to-farm ordinance in either the general Code of Ordinances or the Land Development Regulations; instead, agricultural land gets its protection through zoning. ' The district must also stay consistent with the areas the city's Comprehensive Plan designates for agriculture. 9. 1 sets the OUA District's dimensional table covering lot size, setbacks, height and open space. 3, so a specific agricultural operation should check that section for setbacks from lot lines and adjoining residential development before building.
Because the protection here runs through the zoning code rather than a nuisance-immunity statute, a farm operator's main recourse against encroaching development is the district's own low-density and buffering requirements rather than a right-to-farm defense.
Violations & Fines
There is no separate penalty section tied to the OUA District's purpose language; violations of the district's use, dimensional or agriculture-support standards are enforced the same way as any other LDR violation, through the Building Official and Community Development Director, with nonconforming development subject to permit denial, a stop-work order, or code enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dade City have a right-to-farm ordinance?
What can I build in the OUA district?
Are there setback rules for farm buildings and animal operations in the OUA district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dade City
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Dade City to another location·View the Florida right to farm overview
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