County officials last week approved a text amendment that will allow slaughterhouses on A-1 agricultural properties by special exception, but not before a public hearing in which several residents objected to the change.
The Worcester County Commissioners voted 6-0, with Commissioner Joe Mitrecic absent, to approve a text amendment that allows, by special exception, slaughterhouses in the A-1 agricultural district. The amendment sets certain square footage and setback requirements for such facilities, which will need approval from the county’s board of zoning appeals.
“We allow much more invasive uses in our A-1 than farming,” Commissioner Eric Fiori said ahead of last week’s vote, “and our A-1 districts are slowly moving away from farming because the profitability of not farming that is more and more attractive if we add more options to this.”
Attorney Mark Cropper told commissioners last Tuesday he was submitting the text amendment on behalf of his client, Bob Ewell, who raises cattle on a farm on Croppers Island Road. To sell the beef at his nearby butcher shop, Cropper said his client must transport his cattle Western Maryland or nearby states for slaughter. He added the text amendment will allow Ewell to slaughter his livestock on his farm.
“This is enabling legislation,” he said. “All this would allow is Mr. Ewell to file an application with the board of zoning appeals and have a hearing in front of the board of zoning appeals, which would then determine on a case-by-case basis whether such a facility is appropriate on this property or any other property that some farmer may wish to utilize.”