Vacaville, CA Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum lot size
- 20 acres in AG and AH districts
- Max lot coverage
- 2 percent of parcel
- Max building height
- 30 ft, 45 ft for barns
- Setback, all property lines
- 30 ft (AH up to 50 ft)
- Corral confinement limit
- 21 days, 300 ft from dwelling
- AH residential density
- 1 unit per 20 acres
Summary
Vacaville protects farmland through two agricultural zoning districts, AG and AH, under Municipal Code Section 14.09.050. The purpose is to preserve agricultural land and shield prime farmland from encroaching urban development. Both districts require 20-acre minimum lots, cap building coverage at 2 percent, and limit density to one unit per 20 acres to keep large-scale farming and ranching viable at the city's edge.
The purpose of the agriculture zoning districts is to: A. Preserve lands for agricultural use; and B. Protect prime agricultural lands from the encroachment of incompatible uses and urban development which would make long-term agricultural uses uneconomical or infeasible. Additional purposes of each agriculture zoning district: 1. Agriculture (AG). The AG district is intended to provide for agricultural uses such as raising crops or livestock, commercial and industrial services related to agriculture, single-unit residential development, and other compatible uses. This district also provides for interim uses on lands which, due to location or lack of prime agricultural resources, may be appropriate for urban development pending proper timing for the provision of utilities, major streets, and other facilities to support compact, orderly development.
Full Breakdown
Vacaville's Land Use and Development Code creates two agriculture zoning districts, AG (Agriculture) and AH (Agricultural Hillside), under VMC Section 14.09.050. Both districts exist specifically to preserve farmland and to protect prime agricultural land from encroachment by incompatible urban development, per Section 14.09.050.010. The AG district permits row crops, livestock raising, and agriculture-related commercial and industrial services alongside single-unit homes, and also functions as a holding zone for land awaiting orderly development once utilities and major streets reach it. The AH district covers hillside farmland where topography limits development; it caps residential density at one unit per 20 acres and layers in standards meant to reduce hazard risk and protect sensitive habitat.
Development standards under Section 14.09.050.030 keep both districts working landscapes rather than ranchette subdivisions: minimum lot area is 20 acres, maximum lot coverage is capped at 2 percent of the parcel, and building height tops out at 30 feet, though barns supporting agricultural operations may reach 45 feet. Setbacks from all property lines run 30 feet in AG, and 30 feet in AH (50 feet where the City's alternative hillside-development policy applies). A lot may drop below the 20-acre minimum only for a one-acre public-utility parcel or for a subdivision remainder placed under a permanent conservation easement.
Section 14.09.050.040 adds working-farm rules: grazing needs at least two acres, seasonal supplemental feeding is allowed, and temporary corral confinement of livestock is capped at 21 calendar days for a valid purpose such as shipping, calving, or medical treatment, with the corral sited at least 300 feet from the nearest dwelling. The AH district also allows density transfers to a residential-zoned site through a conditional use permit under Chapter 14.09.300, so long as a conservation easement locks in the reduced density on the sending parcel before any building permit issues.
Violations & Fines
Vacaville's zoning code sets no standalone penalty for Division 14.09 violations, so enforcement falls to the citywide default in Chapter 1.16, General Penalty: any person violating a City ordinance provision is guilty of a misdemeanor unless the City has classified that violation as an infraction or civil fine, per VMC Section 1.16.010.A. Misdemeanors are punished under Government Code Section 36901; infractions under Section 36900. The Director of Community Development handles use-permit and setback compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum parcel size in Vacaville's AG district?
Can I keep livestock in a corral on AG-zoned land?
How tall can a barn be in Vacaville's AG district?
Does the AH district allow houses?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Vacaville
California rules heatmap·Compare Vacaville to another location·View the California right to farm overview
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Agricultural Zoning Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle agricultural zoning protection.