Elyria, OH Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)

Chapter 1140 creates the COS Conservation Open Space District. Its purpose, in § 1140.01, is to maintain and protect the rural, natural and scenic qualities of the City by providing an opportunity for low density residential development while preserving agricultural farmland, sensitive natural areas and significant open lands within the City. Section 1140.02 then lists Agriculture first among the principally permitted uses, ahead of cemeteries, educational institutions, non-commercial recreation, nursing homes, religious places of worship and single household detached dwelling units.

Section 1125.03 defines "Agriculture" as the use of land for agricultural purposes, including farming of crops, horticulture, floriculture, viticulture, animal husbandry, dairy farming and the necessary accessory uses for packing, treating or storing the produce, with the operation of any such accessory uses secondary to that of normal agricultural activities.

The lot standards are heavy. Under § 1140.05(A), agricultural uses, nursing homes and cemeteries need a minimum lot area of not less than five (5) acres and a width of not less than three hundred (300) feet. The minimum front yard setback is fifty (50) feet, the minimum rear yard setback is fifty (50) feet, and the minimum side yard setback is twenty (20) feet with a minimum total side yard setback of fifty (50) feet. No principal building can exceed thirty-five (35) feet and no accessory building can exceed fifteen (15) feet in height, and buildings cannot occupy more than twenty (20) percent of the total lot area. Under § 1140.03, accessory uses other than signs and fences go in the rear yard only, not closer than three (3) feet from any lot line, six (6) feet from any alley, and covering not more than forty percent (40%) of the required rear yard.

The R-LD Residential-Low Density District is narrower. Section 1142.02(A) allows agriculture there only if limited to the non-commercial farming of crops and non-commercial animal husbandry, and § 1142.05(B) sets the same five (5) acre minimum lot area and three hundred (300) foot width for agricultural uses.