San Antonio, TX Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)

Sec. 17 establishes the FR Farm and Ranch District to preserve rural character by implementing larger minimum lot sizes and prohibiting incompatible land uses. Lots in the district must be at least twenty-five (25) acres under Table 310-1, and multi-family apartment dwelling units are not permitted anywhere in the district. Single-family residential uses are allowed, and each FR property may add up to two accessory detached dwelling units (ADDUs) of 300 to 1,200 square feet each, capped at three bedrooms, with no owner-occupancy requirement for either the main house or the ADDU.

Beyond ADDUs, an FR property may build up to 5,000 square feet of other accessory structures for every 25 acres it holds. Owners who place a property into a conservation subdivision can earn a density bonus: if at least 75 percent of the tract sits in a conservation easement for agricultural land, ranch land, or open space, the remaining acreage may be developed at up to two units per acre, compared with the four units a standard 100-acre FR lot would otherwise allow. Ag Commercial uses listed in Table 311-2a are permitted subject to the FR Ag Commercial dimension standards in Table 310-1, and small-scale village center or minor node commercial nodes may locate near major thoroughfare intersections, capped at 6,000 square feet per building with no drive-through windows allowed.

The purpose section ties the district to master plan policies on distributing land uses, protecting natural resources, and preserving rural character, and the district may buffer low-intensity uses along streams, floodplains, and similar environmentally sensitive areas. Lots follow article V design standards with FR-specific exceptions for blocks, streets, sidewalks, and parking, and agricultural-related uses are exempt from parking and loading requirements.