Illinois protects agricultural land through the Agricultural Areas Conservation and Protection Act and limits county zoning over farms outside municipal boundaries.
The Agricultural Areas Conservation and Protection Act (505 ILCS 5) lets owners of 350 or more contiguous acres petition counties to designate Agricultural Areas, restricting state and local actions that interfere with farming for ten-year renewable terms. The Counties Code (55 ILCS 5/5-12001) bars county zoning from regulating agricultural uses on farms larger than five acres outside municipal limits, except for limited livestock setbacks. Municipalities retain broader zoning authority within city limits under 65 ILCS 5/11-13. The Livestock Management Facilities Act (510 ILCS 77) governs siting of large animal feeding operations.
Violations of agricultural area protections or improper zoning may be challenged by injunction in circuit court; LMFA siting violations carry civil penalties up to $10,000 per offense.
See how Edwardsville's agricultural zoning protection rules stack up against other locations.
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