Montgomery County Council Enacts Zoning Measure to Allow Overnight Stays in the Agricultural Reserve

MARYLAND, July 31 - For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 30, 2024

From the Offices of Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe, Dawn Luedtke, Sidney Katz and Natali Fani-González

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 30, 2024—Today, the Montgomery County Council voted to approve a zoning measure that will allow people to stay overnight in the County’s Agricultural Reserve and other rural areas. The goal of Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA 24-02), Agricultural and Rural Zones—Campground, is to provide property owners in rural areas with an additional way to conduct agritourism without overburdening neighbors or agricultural land.

Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe, Dawn Luedtke, Sidney Katz and Natali Fani-González spearheaded the zoning text amendment at the Council following careful and deliberate feedback from residents, agricultural operators and advocates for the Agricultural Reserve. The zoning measure was developed through community outreach and consultation with the Agricultural Advisory Committee, Agricultural Preservation Board, Montgomery County Farm Bureau, Montgomery Agricultural Producers, Montgomery Countryside Alliance, Sugarloaf Citizens Association and residents.

“Allowing limited camping in the Agricultural Reserve does two important things. First, it allows farmers an opportunity to have a small revenue stream by adding a family friendly experiential component to their farming business. And second, it provides visitors another way to learn more about farming and the importance of the Ag Reserve,” said Councilmember Balcombe, who represents District 2 and serves on the Economic Development and Transportation and Environment Committees. “In drafting this legislation, we needed to take our time and listen to the farmers and the communities most impacted by this ZTA. We did this and heard the concerns.

“As a result of our process, I believe the end result offers limited overnight stays in the Agricultural Reserve, while protecting this very important resource. I appreciate and thank the community for their patience and their strong engagement in helping to draft this legislation. The Agriculture Reserve is one of our greatest assets and the County has a responsibility to continue protecting this land.” 

“Working together with farmers, residents and other advocates for the Agricultural Reserve, this zoning change will allow visitors to enjoy this special place while balancing the need to preserve land for farming,” Councilmember Luedtke said. “This new measure permits camping, recreational vehicles, and some temporary and removable structures that people can stay in overnight and provides important guardrails to protect against negative environmental impacts.”

Under the County’s prior zoning law, agricultural properties can have accessory education and tourism activities, such as farm alcohol production (wineries, farm breweries, cideries and distilleries), corn mazes, hayrides, educational tours, classes and workshops, among other activities; however, some types of overnight stays were not allowed in many agricultural areas.

Campgrounds were permitted only in Rural (R) and Residential Estate 2C (RE-2C) zones. The new zoning measure expands campground use to the Agricultural Reserve (AR) and Rural Cluster (RC) zones on properties that satisfy the requirements for farming in the zoning ordinance.

“The Ag Reserve is very special and unique to our County, preserving land for farming while also encouraging people to explore the natural beauty of this area,” Councilmember Katz said. “This ZTA, through thoughtful collaboration with the Ag Reserve community, provides the ability to more thoroughly engage in farm activities and enjoy our open space on an extended basis through overnight stays.”

“Last November, I kicked off this entire conversation by introducing a zoning text amendment that would have allowed interested farmers to host overnight farm stays as part of their agritourism activities,” said Councilmember Fani-González, who chairs the Economic Development Committee. “For years, some local farmers have expressed interest in expanding their agritourism business with overnight stays. They want to provide an authentic, rustic, hands-on experience for guests to their farms and just as importantly, generate a new revenue stream in the face of increased costs and unpredictable markets. The zoning change we approved today is consistent with my original goals, and I am happy to have worked with Councilmembers Luedtke and Balcombe to strike a reasonable compromise.” 

Additional requirements are incorporated into the zoning amendment to preserve farmable land and ensure agriculture remains the true, primary activity for these properties. These requirements include a minimum acreage, a maximum number of structures, a maximum number of nights per guest, and limitations on kitchen and sanitation facilities.

Council President Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz, Evan Glass and Laurie-Anne Sayles cosponsored the zoning measure. ZTA 24-02 will take effect on Aug. 19, 2024.

The Council staff report, which includes photos of the types of structures allowed and the ZTA, can be viewed on the Council’s webpage.

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Release ID: 24-288
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884