Frederick County Maryland

[FriarCluck]

Hello,
My family and I are moving to Frederick County Maryland. I've read the post "Frederick County Maryland Chickens and livestock laws and ordinances", and I was hoping to get a sense of the experiences any of you in the county have had with getting the special agricultural exception. The process seems straightforward enough, but I was wondering how specific your plans need to be. Would day tractoring chickens be fine within setbacks, so long as their permanent coop is far away enough from neighbors?

I would like to get chickens initially, but would like to move into ducks, quail, rabbits, geese, and hogs (not at the same time, but in different years). Does the exception apply just to chickens, or do other animals qualify? For example, If I present a plan for chickens and a coop within acceptable setbacks, can I add a rabbit hutch (also within the setback requirements), or would I have to resubmit and pay again for them to come out again?

 

[localchix10]

Hello, I was wondering if you were able to get a special agricultural exception and how the process went? I'm considering going through the process myself. Thanks!

 

[FriarCluck]

I figure what the Department of Making you Sad, doesn't know wont hurt them. My neighborhood is very relaxed about them and I chatted with a neighbor with a large flock (many hens, roosters, and ducks). She has never had any issues. My girls are minor neighborhood celebrities, and we plan to share egg surpluses. We don't have an HOA and people around us seem to expect a bit of country

 

[MigraineMan]

I recently attended a County Council meeting, and they seemed overwhelmingly biased toward farming and maintaining the agricultural heritage of Frederick County. Would seem that, as long as your Limited Agricultural Activity plan is sane, it's more a matter of formality than anything else.

And don't ever buy a property that is encumbered by an HOA. Those people are tin-pot despots.