Orem, UT Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)

The overlay applies only to parcels of at least two acres, though a smaller parcel qualifies if it sits adjacent to another lot already carrying the -AG designation. It may be layered onto any rural or low-density residential zone and onto any industrial or research and development zone in the city, and the City Council adopted it to keep the orchards that once covered much of Orem viable as the city grew around them. Inside the overlay, forestry, orchards, gardening, and plant nurseries are permitted in addition to every use already allowed in the underlying base zone, and produce grown on the parcel may be sold there as a valid accessory use.

Animal-keeping structures such as barns, pens, and corrals must sit at least one hundred feet from the nearest dwelling and from any public street, and the raising of farm animals is confined to the buildable area of the lot and fenced to keep animals contained; it must also be primarily for the household's own use rather than commercial production. Detached accessory buildings without walls, including carports, need only a three-foot setback from an interior side or rear property line, tighter than typical residential setbacks. Property around every structure in the overlay must stay clear of refuse and debris, with waste containers screened from neighboring view.

The City Council has also adopted a formal policy against using eminent domain on -AG land unless no other property can reasonably serve the same purpose. These standards apply only where the City Council has formally applied the -AG designation to a specific parcel.