A DelmarvaNow article (2016-09-06) reported that the Worcester County Planning Commission is considering a proposal from a developer to tighten regulations and zoning for poultry houses. As previously reported on Conduit Street, Somerset County recently enacted stricter rules on where poultry houses may be sited. From the article:

Noting that it’s “kind of ironic that I’m preaching for less rights,” [developer] Harold Scrimgeour pressed the Planning Commission on Thursday to pass the rules up to the County Commission with a favorable recommendation.

“We’re getting to a point where density (of chickenhouses) could be an issue,” he said. The large farms may not affect a majority of homeowners, but “for that one person down in Stockton whose house has zero value, that’s a big issue for that one person.”

The article noted, however, that the County is questioning whether the proposed deeper setbacks and larger building lot sizes are needed.

The county’s top planner, though, questions the necessity of Scrimgeour’s largely one-person campaign.

Worcester’s zoning rules are “significantly different” from its brethren on Delmarva, Ed Tudor told the commission. The county code already bans housing subdivisions of five lots or greater in agricultural areas, and chickenhouses are barred from residential zones.

“Our zoning works,” Tudor said.

The article stated that the Planning Commission will discuss the proposal at its October 1 meeting.

Useful Links

Prior Conduit Street Coverage of Somerset County Poultry House Debate