BoS Note reveals game plan for Proposed Zoning

Notes for the upcoming County Board of Supervisor’s meeting scheduled for December 8th suggest that the BoS will be taking some form of action on the proposed zoning. Once again, intensive poultry farming is being given some attention. Bullet point #4 suggests that it is recommended that the requirement for ammonia scrubbers for poultry operations be eliminated. During public hearings, and special presentations by poultry insiders, it was noted that the requirement to have ammonia scrubbers in chicken houses was, from the industry’s perspective, a non-starter due to the expense. By eliminating this requirement, it would seem to remove one of the major stopping points for up to 91 houses being placed in the county.

Section 4 also includes the recommendation to delete the requirement that either primary dwelling or accessory dwelling be occupied by the property owner. From a density standpoint, this appears to create the potential for developers to take advantage by building 2 houses on every parcel, then rent them out to create mini “Tom’s Cove” developments. The proposed draft envisions accessory dwellings as second homes for family members, requiring the owner to live in the primary dwelling.
Also contained in the notes is the loss of the requirement that the commercial use “Event Venue”, would need to be served by a Health Dept. approved water supply and septic system.
The current draft says that “event venues” (concerts, circuses, mud-hops, festivals) have to be served by a health department-approved water supply and septic system. Not sure what the new health requirements will include.
Item #5 suggests that proposed decreases for Intensive Farming setbacks from residential areas, shorelines and perennial streams are labeled B, and will require another Public Hearing To minimally protect residents and natural resources from run-0ff, odors, pathogens, and other aspects of industrial chicken farms, setbacks have been increased (a fraction). The Board packet warns that these increases will require another public hearing; how this will affect the vote on December 8th is yet to be determined. See full note below:

Board of Supervisor’s meeting—Dec 8, 2015

1—Board packet was not available until after 5pm Friday—
2—Action item #13– “possible action” on rezoning—this means the Board can vote
3—Memo from County Admin to BoS: Planning Comm recommendations are mostly labeled A, B or C
• instruction given that for changes labeled A, if the Board accepts the changes, the Board “…could vote this evening. A proposed motion is included for your consideration.”
• instruction given that for changes labeled B or C, items would require the Pl Comm to schedule a second Public Hearing
4—some of the changes labeled A which could be approved on Dec 8 as part of the rezoning:
• Delete requirement for ammonia scrubbers on poultry houses
• Delete requirement that either primary dwelling or accessory dwelling be occupied by the property owner
• Delete requirement that the commercial use “Event Venue”, would need to be served by a Health Dept. approved water supply and septic system
5—Proposed decreases for Intensive Farming setbacks from residential areas, shorelines and perennial streams are labeled B, and will require another Public Hearing