Champaign County, IL Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- AG-1 minimum lot
- 1 acre, 200-ft average width
- AG-2 minimum lot
- 20,000 sq ft, 100-ft average width
- Max building height
- 50 feet / 2.5 stories
- AG-2 targeted area
- within 1.5 miles of towns
- Geographic reach
- unincorporated Champaign County only
- Enforcing office
- County Zoning Administrator
Summary
Champaign County protects farmland through two agriculture zoning districts covering the unincorporated county: AG-1 shields land best suited to farming from premature urban encroachment, while AG-2 preserves agricultural character in mostly vacant land near existing communities. Set by Zoning Ordinance Sections 5.1.1 and 5.1.2, each district carries its own minimum lot standard and routes non-farm uses through the Zoning Administrator.
5.1.1 AG-1 Agriculture: The AG-1, Agriculture DISTRICT is intended to protect the areas of the COUNTY where soil and topographic conditions are best adapted to the pursuit of AGRICULTURAL USES and to prevent the admixture of urban and rural USES which would contribute to the premature termination of AGRICULTURE pursuits. 5.1.2 AG-2 Agriculture: The AG-2, Agriculture DISTRICT is intended to prevent scattered indiscriminate urban development and to preserve the AGRICULTURAL nature within areas which are predominately vacant and which presently do not demonstrate any significant potential for development. This DISTRICT is intended generally for application to areas within one and one-half miles of existing communities in the COUNTY.
Full Breakdown
1. 1). 2 states it is meant generally for land within one and one-half miles of existing communities in the county. 3's Schedule of Area, Height and Placement Regulations sets AG-1's minimum lot at one acre with 200-foot average width, and AG-2's minimum lot at 20,000 square feet with 100-foot average width; both allow a maximum building height of 50 feet or two and one-half stories. Agricultural uses are permitted by right in both districts, while non-farm uses such as photovoltaic solar farms and Tier-2 battery energy storage systems may only proceed through a County Board Special Use Permit that carries its own right-to-farm standard condition requiring the applicant to recognize the right of adjacent agricultural activity to continue.
The Zoning Administrator, part of the Department of Planning and Zoning, issues the Zoning Compliance Certificates that authorize construction and reviews Special Use applications for compliance with district standards. Because Illinois counties' zoning authority reaches only the unincorporated area, AG-1/AG-2 never apply inside the City of Champaign, the City of Urbana, or any other incorporated municipality, each of which zones under its own separate code.
Violations & Fines
Building or operating a non-farm use in AG-1 or AG-2 without the required Zoning Use Permit or County Board Special Use Permit is a zoning violation. The Zoning Administrator can withhold or revoke the Zoning Compliance Certificate needed to authorize construction or operation, and the ordinance's Article 10 Violations and Penalties provisions apply; special-use applicants such as solar and battery-storage developers must also document compliance with the district's right-to-farm standard condition before a permit issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between AG-1 and AG-2 zoning in Champaign County?
What's the minimum lot size in these districts?
Does county AG-1/AG-2 zoning cover land inside Champaign or Urbana?
Can I build a solar farm on AG-1 land?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Champaign County
Compare Champaign County to another location·View the Illinois right to farm overview
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