SNOW HILL – The Worcester County Commissioners are expected to discuss zoning and agritourism at a work session next week.
The commissioners last week agreed to make a text amendment that would pave the way for more agritourism in Worcester County the subject of an upcoming work session. Though proposed by staff as a way to help the local economy, the text amendment drew criticism from several commissioners concerned about its broad scope.
“I read this three times because I couldn’t believe all the things that were allowed to take place,” Commissioner Diana Purnell said.
Ed Tudor, the county’s director of development review and permitting, presented the commissioners last week with draft agritourism regulations developed with input from a consultant and the county’s economic development team. The new draft definition of agritourism includes uses previously permitted but also includes camping, children’s day camps and live entertainment, among other things.
“In addition, in the current code provisions for wineries and special events on a farm are special exception uses but are now proposed to be accessory uses no longer subject to Board of Zoning Appeals approval,” Tudor wrote in his report to the commissioners. “In order to facilitate an expedited approval process, we have eliminated all access and traffic circulation, parking, off-street loading, landscaping and buffering, exterior lighting and site plan approval requirements and greatly reduced lot requirements.”
Commissioner Jim Bunting was quick to question the impact new regulations would have on farmers. He said there were some people with farms that could be good for tourism uses but that he didn’t want to see working farms negatively impacted. He said he envisioned problems if a farmer was trying to harvest crops adjacent to a parcel zoned agricultural that was instead being used as a concert venue.
“It’s so broad,” he said of the regulations. “We’re going to destroy our agriculture.”
Commissioner Chip Bertino asked why the changes were being proposed. Tudor explained they came as a result of a meeting with Worcester County Economic Development and Grow & Fortify’s Kevin Atticks.
“This is opening up the floodgates,” Bertino said.
Tom Perlozzo, the county’s director of recreation and parks, tourism and economic development, said the changes were meant to have a positive impact on the county.
“This is our department looking at ways we can develop the economy in the southern half of Worcester County,” he said.
Bertino said changes such as those proposed were usually brought up by property owners, not outside consultants.
“This is basically throwing everything out the way it’s currently written, that we’ll just allow anything to happen on these farms, because the consultant thinks it’s a good idea,” he said. “We are not hearing from the property owners.”
Chief Administrative Officer Harold Higgins said the county had received complaints from property owners because they found the current zoning regulations didn’t allow some activities.
“Anything we can do to help our farmers we need to do,” Commissioner Ted Elder said. “I think this bill needs a little bit of cleaning up.”
Several commissioners said they wanted to discuss the proposed changes in a work session.
“It’s a great economic driver, it could be, for the entire county, especially the southern end,” Commissioner Josh Nordstrom said. “We’ll figure it out and make it work.”
A motion from Commissioner Bud Church to set a work session for May 4 passed 6-1, with Bunting opposed.
“This isn’t rocket science,” Church said. “I don’t understand why we’re not going to make a move on this today.”
