DRRC 10-26-17 Meeting AgendaCOUNTY of FREDERICK
Department of Planning and Development
540/ 665-5651
Fax: 540/ 665-6395
MEMORANDUM
To: Development Review and Regulations Committee
From: M. Tyler Klein, AICP, Planner
Subject: October 26, 2017 Meeting and Agenda
Date: October 18, 2017
The Frederick County Development Review and Regulations Committee (DRRC) will be meeting
on Thursday October 26, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the first floor conference room (purple room) of
the County Administration Building, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia. The DRRC
will discuss the following agenda items:
AGENDA
1) Chicken Coops. Discussion of a request to allow backyard chicken coops in the RP
(Residential Performance) Zoning District.
2) Other
Please contact this office if you will not be able to attend the meeting. Thank you.
Access to this building is limited during the evening hours. Therefore, it will be necessary to
enter the building through the rear door of the four-story wing. I would encourage committee
members and interested citizens to park in the County parking lot located behind the new
addition or in the joint Judicial Center parking lot and follow the sidewalk to the back door of
the four-story wing.
MTK/dlw
Attachments
Item #1: Chicken Coops
Staff has received an amendment request from a private citizen to Chapter 165 – Zoning Ordinance
to allow backyard chickens (and chicken coops) in the RP (Residential Performance) Zoning
District. Currently, agricultural uses, including the keeping of chickens (and other livestock), are
only permitted in the County’s RA (Rural Areas) Zoning District. The DRRC discussed the
appropriateness of this request at the September 28, 2017 meeting. The general consensus of the
DRRC members present at the September 28th meeting was not to support this request. However,
the Committee requested that staff bring the request back to the next meeting for additional
discussion with the full Committee. The Committee also requested that additional options be
presented.
There are three (3) options available to the DRRC:
• The DRRC does not support the request for a text amendment to the RP (Residential
Performance) Zoning District to allow backyard chickens and chicken coops. The request
would fail to make it out of Committee and thus would not go to the Planning Commission for
further discussion.
• The DRRC recommends allowing backyard chickens as a by-right accessory use by amending
the definition of agricultural (contained in Article I, §165-101.03, Definitions and word usage)
as follows: D. Agriculture and farming shall include the raising, shearing, feeding, caring for,
training and management of animals. This shall not include the keeping of poultry, not to
exceed six animals, which are kept in an accessory structure to a single-family detached
residence on a property of 2-acres or more and only in compliance with all applicable setback
requirements.
• The DRRC recommends allowing the use as a conditional use in the RP (Residential
Performance) Zoning District where a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application (& fee) and
public hearings before the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors would be required.
Supplemental use regulations may include: a requirement to meet setbacks for accessory uses
in the RP Zoning District; allowing six (6) chickens or less on 0.5 or less, or twelve (12)
chickens or less in .051 acres or more; prohibiting roosters, guinea fowl, turkeys, ducks,
peacocks; requiring proper disposal of chicken waste and dead chickens; and all feed shall be
kept in secured containers with tight-fitting lids. Other restrictions could be applied at time of
CUP application based on individual properties.
Staff is looking for direction from the DRRC on the appropriateness of this request for a text
amendment to the Zoning Ordinance. Depending on the outcome of this discussion, Staff may
forward this item to the Planning Commission for further discussion.
Attachment: 1. Letter to Request Ordinance Amendment, dated August 23, 2017