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Commission moves gardening and backyard‑chicken text amendment to public hearing, clarifies residential vs. agricultural rules
Summary
The planning commission approved sending a draft zoning-text amendment to the June 10 public hearing that narrows the county's gardening/chicken exception to residential zoning (banning roosters in residential districts and retaining a one‑acre minimum); commissioners flagged enforcement questions and interaction with the Right to Farm Act.
The Rockbridge County Planning Commission voted May 13 to forward a revised zoning-text amendment concerning gardening and the keeping of chickens to a public hearing on June 10, 2026. Staff said the update corrects a drafting error that had applied the gardening-and-chickens exemption to "any zoning district allowing residential uses," unintentionally sweeping in agricultural zones.
What staff proposed and why
Staff explained the proposed draft would limit the exemption to residential zoning districts (R‑1 and R‑2), ban roosters in residential districts, require a one‑acre minimum lot size in residential districts for keeping up to six female chickens, and keep the broader agricultural protections intact in agricultural zoning. The revision responds to a conflict noted between the existing language and Virginia’s Right to Farm Act if agricultural zones were treated the same as residential.
Commission concerns
Commission members raised enforcement questions: who would evaluate whether chicken keeping is "objectionable" for reasons such as odor, noise or rodents, and how the county would enforce such standards. Staff said enforcement is typically complaint-driven and acknowledged some language might be refined before the public hearing.
Next steps
Commissioners voted to send a tweaked version of the gardening/chicken text amendment to the June 10 public hearing for additional public input and final drafting. Staff said they will revisit permit-language options and enforcement phrasing before the hearing.
