Davis County, UT Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone
- AE Agriculture Estate/Limited Agriculture
- Minimum lot area
- 1/2 acre
- Minimum lot width
- 100 feet
- Front/rear yard
- 25 feet
- Side yard
- 10 feet each side
- Animal structure setback
- 150 ft street, 100 ft dwellings
Summary
Unincorporated Davis County protects farmland through its AE Agriculture Estate/Limited Agriculture zone, reserved for large-lot family food production and limited animal keeping. The zone sets a half-acre minimum lot, 100-foot lot width, and setbacks that push animal structures away from neighbors and streets.
The purpose of this zone is to promote and preserve, where conditions are favorable, areas for large lot development where families may engage in family food production, limited to their family needs, and keep limited numbers of animals and fowl.
Full Breakdown
Davis County Code Section 15.20.710 states the AE zone's purpose is to "promote and preserve, where conditions are favorable, areas for large lot development where families may engage in family food production, limited to their family needs, and keep limited numbers of animals and fowl." Permitted uses under Section 15.20.720 include agriculture, animal keeping, apiaries, aviaries, greenhouses, and fruit and vegetable stands limited to produce grown on the seller's own premises. Animal hospitals, cemeteries, and day care centers require conditional-use approval under Section 15.20.730.
Section 15.20.740 fixes AE dimensional standards: a half-acre minimum lot area, 100-foot minimum lot width, 25-foot front and rear yards, 10-foot side yards, and a 35-foot maximum building height. Section 15.20.760 layers on a livestock-structure buffer: pens, corrals, barns, coops, and stables must sit at least 150 feet from a public street and 100 feet from dwellings on adjacent lots, with a corner-lot variant requiring 150 feet from one street and 25 feet from the other. These setbacks exist specifically to let AE landowners keep animals and fowl without triggering nuisance friction with neighboring residences.
Violations & Fines
The Davis County Community and Economic Development Department administers AE zone compliance through the building permit and zoning clearance process; a structure built without meeting the 150-foot street setback or 100-foot dwelling setback for animal enclosures can be ordered removed or relocated. Uses not on the permitted or conditional list, such as unlisted commercial ventures, require a zoning amendment or variance from the Board of Adjustment before they can operate on AE-zoned land.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum lot size to keep animals in the AE zone?
How far must a barn or coop be from my neighbor's house?
Can I sell produce grown on my AE-zoned property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis County
Compare Davis County to another location·View the Utah right to farm overview
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