Lyon County, NV Right to Farm: Farm Nuisance Protection (2026)

Under Lyon County Code § 15.20.03, no present or future commercial agricultural operation on agricultural or commercial land in unincorporated Lyon County, Nevada can be deemed a nuisance because of a changed condition on adjacent land, provided the operation follows accepted agricultural customs and standards and does not violate federal, state or local law. The ordinance, adopted by the Board of County Commissioners as Ordinance 603 on November 1, 2018, tracks Nevada Revised Statutes 40.140 and creates a presumption that any agricultural activity that complies with law is good agricultural practice.

The protection covers noise, odors, dust, traffic and machinery operation around the clock, including holidays and weekends, under § 15.20.02. It does not cover a nuisance caused by negligent or improper operation, or activity that obstructs a navigable lake, stream, river, canal, basin or a public park, square, street or highway. As a condition of subdivision or parcel map approval, developers must notify future buyers of the right-to-farm protection and record a signed acknowledgment on the land development maps under § 15.20.03(C). Separately, § 15.20.04 requires every seller of real property in the county to give prospective buyers a written disclosure statement describing agricultural setback requirements and water rights restrictions, which the buyer must sign, with the seller keeping the executed copy in escrow.

A landowner or resident who believes a farm is not following accepted customs and standards can file a complaint with Community Development using the procedures in title 15, chapter 15.