Loudoun County Supervisor: Transportation And Land Use Committee-Western Loudoun Rural Uses And Standards Cpam/Zoam - Apr 24, 2025

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Key Topics Discussed

1. Agritourism and Agritainment: Discussion on combining agritourism and agritainment under one definition to match the state code for agritourism.
2. Lodging Uses Consistency: Examining consistency between different lodging uses such as homestay, bed-and-breakfast inn, country inn, and rural resort in terms of noise levels, hours of operation, and setbacks.
3. Sawmill as a Minor Special Exception Use: Proposal to change sawmill from a special exception to a minor special exception use to reduce the review process time and fees associated with it.
4. Agricultural Product and Bona Fide Agricultural Definition: Discussion on using the term "agricultural operation" instead of "farm" and defining agricultural products to clarify what constitutes bona fide agriculture.
5. Agriculture Structure Setback Waiver: Consideration of allowing the replacement or repair of non-conforming agricultural structures without requiring a special exception, provided they do not increase in size or intensity of use.
6. Conservation Easement Density: The issue of whether land in a conservation easement should be allowed to count towards density for cluster subdivisions, and the decision to close this loophole to prevent "double-dipping."

Decisions & Votes

• Combining Agritourism and Agritainment: There was agreement on combining these under one definition aligned with state code.
• Sawmill as a Minor Special Exception Use: Direction given to staff to move forward with changing sawmill to a minor special exception use.
• Agricultural Definitions: Decision not to pursue a separate definition for "farm" but instead focus on "agricultural operation" and "agricultural products."
• Conservation Easement Density: Agreement to close the loophole preventing conservation easements from being used to increase density in cluster subdivisions.

Notable Quotes

• "We need to be careful not to over-regulate agritourism, as it's an accessory use." - Justin Wish
• "The intention is to support agriculture while ensuring compatibility with neighboring uses." - Staff

Follow-up Actions

• Staff to Draft Proposals: Based on discussions, staff will draft proposals for changes to the zoning ordinance regarding agritourism, lodging uses, sawmills, agricultural definitions, and conservation easements.
• Future Meetings: Continued discussion on these topics in future meetings, including a potential separate meeting focused on lodging uses consistency and other rural economy issues.
• Review of State Code Definitions: Ensure that local definitions align with state code where applicable, particularly for agritourism and agricultural operations.

Summary by Timestamp

Due to the extensive nature of the transcript, key points have been summarized above. The discussion spanned multiple topics related to zoning ordinances in rural areas, focusing on balancing economic development with environmental and community concerns.

Notice:

• Summaries are AI Generated using AI generated subtitles.
• As such, they may contain errors.
• Review the original video for accuracy before you make any decision based on these summaries.