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At its
March 27,
2003
meeting,
the Planning Commission voted to hold a public hearing on this
proposed text amendment. The
public hearing was held on
April 24,
2003
, and the
Planning Commission voted to forward the text amendment with
refined text, as provided in Attachment 1.
The proposed text amendment would add outdoor
recreational uses such as corn mazes, hayrides, pumpkin patches
and similar activities to the uses permitted in conjunction with a
community farmer’s market by approval of a special
permit. The amendment
limits the types of activities by requiring that the agricultural
materials associated with such outdoor recreational uses are
produced on the site. For
example, a pumpkin patch could not be held using pumpkins grown at
another site and brought to a particular property.
Currently, outdoor recreational events such as
those proposed are only permitted as a temporary permit for
non-profits based in Fauquier County, or, for commercial
enterprises in some instances, for a period of no more than 3
days, when approved by separate special permit as a Class A, B or
C Spectator and Non-Spectator Field Event and Activity.
A community farmer’s market is permitted in the
Rural Agriculture Zoning District with special permit approval
from the Fauquier County Board of Zoning Appeals.
Site plan approval also is also required for a community
farmer’s market.
Community Farmer’s markets must be located on a
lot of at least five acres in size.
The use also is subject to road standards, parking and
loading area setbacks, restrictions upon the types of materials
offered for sale and VDOT and Health Department approvals.
The special permit requirement allows for specific
review of each individual application by the Board of Zoning
Appeals.
The Planning Commission discussed extending these
types of agricultural entertainment uses beyond those sites
approved for a community farmer’s market, noting that the
activities might be appropriate on other agriculturally used
properties as well. However,
because the Commission wished to facilitate the ability of the one
known applicant to move forward in a timely fashion with their
proposed use, they recommended approval of this more narrowly
focused text amendment at this time, asking staff to look at
bringing back a broader amendment in the future.
The proposed text amendment is available as
Attachment 1.
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