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Friday, February 24, 2017

Regulations Loosened On Ag Property Weddings, Special Events; Farmers Looking To Diversify Their Properties

SNOW HILL – Two changes approved by county officials this week will make it easier for owners of agriculturally zoned properties to host weddings and other special events.

The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday approved two text amendments related to commercial special events on properties with agricultural zoning. The approvals came after modifications to both proposals in an effort to ensure they wouldn’t cause problems for local farmers.

“My main goal as a commissioner is to protect agriculture,” Commissioner Jim Bunting said. “It’s one of our main industries.”

The first text amendment, presented by attorney Mark Cropper for Darren and Catherine Casto, will allow agricultural properties, by special exception, to host events as long as they’re at least 25 acres and meet certain setback requirements. Though Cropper originally proposed a text amendment that would allow “the commercial hosting of non-agricultural functions and events” on any agricultural property at least five acres in size, he amended that to 50 acres and added a restriction that any associated live music would end by 11 p.m. in an attempt to alleviate any concerns. He said he’d submitted the text amendment so that his clients could host weddings and the like at their horse farm.

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Jim. Finally, a politician NOT thinking like a bureaucrat.

Anonymous said...

It is a sad state of affairs in this world that you have to have permission to have a wedding function on your property. Bet if you were a gay or transsexual farmer you could do anything you wanted on your property.

Anonymous said...

amazing that it is easier to build 12 industrial poultry houses than have a wedding. If the commissioners did not have Ocean City to plunder they would have to open up the zoning in the County.

Anonymous said...

There is a difference between having a wedding on your property and turning your property in to a business venture offering wedding, catering, music and hopefully security.

Anonymous said...

It's a pay to play state so you have no property rights unless you donate to Democrats.

Anonymous said...

My main goal as a commissioner is to protect agriculture,” Commissioner Jim Bunting said. “It’s one of our main industries.”
What a joke. one part of government wants to save farmland and then you have tax dollars paying not to farm. then more programs to Plant trees, Crep land, Then more tax dollars taking good farm land and digging ponds to create wet lands in land that will not work for wet land like the 700 acres on Forest Grove road and Shavox rd. that they are working on now. So much government waste contradicting itself and the few getting wealthy from your tax dollars.