Lake County, IL Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning district
- AG, Agricultural (Section 151.086)
- Permitted character
- Cropland, pasture, orchards, vineyards, nurseries
- Also permitted
- Confined feeding operations, equestrian facilities
- Permit-fee relief
- State-law exemption from fee-bearing building permits
- Dimensional link
- Governed by Sections 151.125 through 151.132
- Cure period
- 10 days' written notice before enforcement
Summary
Unincorporated Lake County protects working farmland through its AG, Agricultural zoning district, built to permit only development compatible with existing rural character and agricultural uses such as cropland, pasture, orchards, vineyards, nurseries, confined feeding operations, and equestrian facilities. The county code separately exempts qualifying agricultural land from fee-bearing building permits under state law.
(A) Description. The AG, Agricultural District is intended to promote and protect agricultural land uses. The standards of the AG District are designed to permit development that is compatible with existing rural character and agricultural uses such as cropland, pasture land, orchards, vineyards, and nurseries, confined feeding operations, and equestrian facilities. The AG District is intended to implement and correspond to the Regional Framework Plan's "Agricultural" future land use designation. (B) Uses. Uses are allowed in the AG District in accordance with the use table of § 151.111. (C) Dimensional standards. All development in the AG District is subject to the density and dimensional standards of §§ 151.125 through 151.132. ... AGRICULTURAL EXEMPTION. An exemption contained in state law which prohibits fee bearing building permits with respect to land used or to be used for agricultural purposes and further defines the powers of this chapter as to restrict its application.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 26-0618, passed 6-9-2026 | State legislation current through ILCS Pamphlet 2025 #5).
Full Breakdown
086 establishes the AG District. Subsection (A) states the district is intended to promote and protect agricultural land uses and to permit development compatible with existing rural character and agricultural uses including cropland, pasture land, orchards, vineyards, nurseries, confined feeding operations, and equestrian facilities, implementing the Regional Framework Plan's "Agricultural" future land use designation. 132. 271, where AGRICULTURAL EXEMPTION is defined as the state-law exemption that prohibits fee-bearing building permits for land used or to be used for agricultural purposes and restricts the chapter's application accordingly.
Together the AG District designation and the agricultural exemption function as the county's practical right-to-farm protection, keeping the AG District's minimum lot sizes and low densities from being overridden by denser residential or commercial rezoning pressure nearby.
Violations & Fines
Developing AG-zoned land inconsistently with the Section 151.111 use table, or building without a required permit, violates Section 151.251(A) and (G). Non-emergency violations get written notice and ten days to correct under Section 151.257(A); each week uncorrected after that is a separate offense under Section 151.252. The Director can withhold or revoke permits, issue a stop-work order, or refer the matter to the Lake County Administrative Adjudication Ordinance under Section 151.253.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lake County have a formal "right to farm" ordinance?
What agricultural uses does the AG District protect?
Do farm buildings avoid building-permit fees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
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