Around Botetourt: You can now practice Home Ag in Botetourt

“There are an awful lot of lessons you can learn from a chicken.”

With that comment, Supervisor Chairman Jack Leffel made the motion to approve a long-awaited change to zoning laws that allows home agriculture uses by right.

Citizens in in Rural Residential District (RR), Low Density Residential (R-1), Low-Medium Density Residential District (R-2), and Medium Density Residential (R-3), zonings can now raise chickens (hens only)  and other birds, rabbits, and honeybees.

The motion passed 3-2, with Amsterdam District Supervisor Steve Clinton and Valley District Supervisor Mac Scothorn opposed.

Eric Daniels of Catawba Road was allowed to address the Board even though the public hearing had been held in September. Daniels said he has an organic garden with fruit trees and needs chickens “as part of my ecosystem.” He previously lived in Roanoke City where chickens are allowed.

“Coming to Botetourt County on two acres of land where I couldn’t do this is mind boggling,” he said.

Scothorn said he didn’t care what Roanoke City did. “I don’t want to be Roanoke City. I want to be Botetourt County,” he said. His concerns included policing hen houses and hives and mixing agriculture uses in residential areas. He said he’d received numerous calls from his constituents who were opposed to home agricultural uses.

Clinton did not think the zoning should be mixed. Either land was residential or it was agriculture, but the two should not be combined. “I think bees are fine. Poultry can be objectionable to a lot of people,” he said.

Leffel, in the end, said that allowing home agriculture uses made sense to him, if only to let children involved in 4-H learn something from raising an animal.

According to the changes, lots must be a minimum size 12,000 square feet to have honeybees. Lots must be a minimum size of 15,000 square feet if residents want to raise poultry or rabbits.

The approval ended what has been a two-year long process that began when Michael Lewis of Daleville initiated  a request for a text amendment change early in 2017. The county worked with Lewis,, the Botetourt Beekeeper’s Association, the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office, and the Sheriff’s Department to find solutions to multiple concerns.

The changes require a 10-feet setback for honeybees, with up to four hives allowed in 12,000 square feet area. For each 2,000 square feet in excess of the minimum, an additional hive would be allowed.

For poultry and rabbits, structures must not exceed 150 square feet in floor area, must not be over 12 feet in height, and may not be located within 5 feet of a rear or side property line.

Subdivisions with home owners associations can pass regulations prohibiting agriculture uses, but the county’s planning and zoning department do not enforce those rules. Enforcement would be up to the home owners associations.

Story and Photos By Anita Firebaugh, Around Botetourt columnist

Header photo:

Eric Daniels made a case for chickens on his 2 acres of land.