Small-scale Onsite Agricultural Sales

What types of retail sales may be conducted from farms under the County Zoning Code?

Many farmers are interested in retailing directly to consumers from their farm to increase their economic profitably and help maintain the economic viability of their agricultural operation. Farmers have always been able to wholesale their production on or off site. It they want to retail their unprocessed commodities or processed products manufactured from them, directly to consumers from the farm, the County Zoning Code allows several different types of onsite sales operations to be conducted from farms as described below:

Community Supported Agriculture

A system by which people purchase, typically through monthly subscription, a share from a local farm and periodically receive fresh produce or other agricultural products produced or processed on site.

• No Permit required by Zoning Code

Zones: LIA, LEA, DA, RRD, AR

Farmstands

A temporary or seasonal sales facility, generally not more than 180 calendar days, for the sale and promotion of agricultural products that are grown or raised on the site and shelf-stable, pre-packaged, goods processed from them.

• No Permit required by Zoning Code
• Permit required from the Health Service Dept. 

Zones: LIA, LEA, DA, RRD, and AR

Cottage Foods

A food preparation enterprise operating from the kitchen of a primary residence where specified low- risk food products are prepared, packaged or sold to consumers pursuant to the California Homemade Food Act.

• No Permit required by Zoning Code
• Permit required from the Health Service Dept. 
• Septic Requirements 

Zones: All zones with onsite residence

Small Farm Retail Sales Facility

A small retail facility, up to 500 square feet, for year- round sales of agricultural products grown or raised on the site or other properties owned or leased by the farm operator, and pre-packaged goods processed from the agricultural production.

• Zoning Permit in LIA, LEA, DA, RRD zone;
• Use Permit in AR zone
• Permit required from the Health Service Dept. 

Zones: LIA, LEA, DA, RRD, and AR

Tasting Room

A retail food facility in which one or more agricultural products grown or processed in the county, including alcoholic beverages, may be tasted and sold which does not qualify for one of the preceding categories. 

• Use permit required
• Permit required from the Health Service Department

Zones: LIA, LEA, DA, RRD

Even if a retail activity does not require a permit under the Zoning Code, permits could still be required under the building, well, septic or health codes. Thus the requirements for each proposed retail facility should be reviewed on a case by case basis with the Permit and Resource Management Department and other applicable regulatory agencies. The County Zoning Code does not set forth a full list of standards for tasting rooms as these vary from site to site and are determined on a case by case basis through a discretionary review and hearing process for use permits. The following table compares some of the requirements for Farmstands and Farm Retail Sales Facilities.