Greene County, MO Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Animal/greenhouse buildings
- 100 ft from R District
- New sub-10-acre tracts
- max 2 per parent parcel
- Farming, orchards, greenhouses
- principal permitted use
- Violation penalty
- misdemeanor, $10-$1,000/day
- Coverage
- unincorporated Greene County only
Summary
Unincorporated Greene County's A-1 Agriculture District allows farming, orchards, grazing, and greenhouses by right, but keeps animal buildings 100 feet from residential districts and caps new sub-ten-acre tracts at two per parent parcel.
Agriculture, including any customary agricultural building and structure, orchards, the harvesting of wild crops, berries, tree fruits and seeds, grazing, nursery, and greenhouses; provided that any greenhouse heating plants, or building or enclosure in which farm animals are kept, shall comply with the distance requirements of one hundred (100) feet from any R District. Cultivation of Medical Marijuana shall not be considered a permitted agricultural use.
B. Single-family detached dwelling.
C. Private non-commercial recreational areas, uses, and facilities including country clubs, swimming pools, forests, and wildlife preserves.
D. Public utilities, essential services, and other uses in accordance with Article IV, Section 30.
E. Private stables and dairies; provided that any building or enclosure in which fowl or animals are kept shall comply with the distance requirements of one hundred (100) feet from any R District.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Greene County's Resource Management Department administers the county's zoning regulations, which govern only unincorporated land, not Springfield, Republic, Nixa, Willard, Strafford, or Ash Grove, each of which zones under its own municipal code. In the county's A-1 Agriculture District, farming, orchards, nurseries, and greenhouses are principal permitted uses, and any building or enclosure housing farm animals, fowl, or greenhouse heating plants must sit at least 100 feet from an R (residential) district. Creating a tract smaller than 10 acres requires an administrative subdivision, and no more than two such sub-ten-acre tracts may be split from one parent parcel.
Violations & Fines
Building an animal enclosure within 100 feet of a residential district, or splitting more than two sub-ten-acre tracts, violates the Regulations; conviction is a misdemeanor fined $10-$1,000 per day, or the County may seek an injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply inside Springfield?
Can I keep livestock in the A-1 district?
How small can I subdivide agricultural land?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greene County
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