Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agriculture topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves backyard chickens with conditions after public opposition
Summary
The Frederick County Board of Zoning Appeals granted a special exception to allow up to six chickens and two turkeys at 4317 Dover Drive on April 23, 2026, imposing conditions including rehoming rabbits and removing hutches; the vote was 4-1-0 after two public comments opposed the request.
The Frederick County Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4-1-0 on April 23, 2026, to grant a special exception allowing up to six chickens and two turkeys at 4317 Dover Drive in case B-25-42, subject to conditions set by board members.
Vice Chair Jack Felton (Vice Chairperson) initially moved to deny the request; that motion did not receive a second and was dropped. Member Shannon Bohrer moved to approve the special exception. Member John Greenwell requested an amendment requiring the applicant to rehome the rabbits on the property and remove their hutches, and that the two turkeys not be replaced after they pass. Bohrer accepted the conditions and Greenwell seconded the amended motion.
The minutes record that there were two public comments opposing the special exception; the speakers for those comments are not named in the meeting record. After debate and the amendment, the board adopted the special exception with a recorded vote of 4-1-0.
The record does not attribute individual yes/no votes to specific board members beyond the overall tally. No additional enforcement steps or permit conditions beyond those added by the board were noted in the minutes. The board adjourned at 7:52 p.m.
