Residents and farmers clash over proposed campground rules for Agricultural Reserve

The Montgomery County Council heard extended public testimony July 16 on Zoning Text Amendment 2402, which would allow limited, regulated overnight agritourism — including campgrounds and removable structures — in certain agricultural and rural zones under specified conditions.

Supporters from the farm community and planning staff said carefully designed farm stays can provide a supplemental income stream for farmers, help connect urban residents to agriculture and support on‑farm education. Ben Berber of the Planning Department told the council the Planning Board supports a version of the ZTA with several recommended modifications — including restricting campsite area to a small portion of a property, defining removable structures, and discouraging siting in ecologically sensitive areas.

Opponents — including residents, the League of Women Voters and conservation groups — said the proposal risks eroding the Agricultural Reserve’s productive land and rural character. Concerns noted at the hearing included noise from generators and RVs, visual intrusion along road corridors, pressure on wells and septic systems, impacts to stream buffers and floodplains, and the potential that “removable” structures such as yurts could become semi‑permanent.

What was debated

- Size and siting: The Planning Board suggested capping campsite area at 5% or 5 acres of a parcel (whichever is smaller) to protect small farms and prime soils; commenters urged additional rules requiring campsites to be sited toward the interior of large parcels, not visible from the road.

- Removable structures and RVs: The board recommended clearer definitions for removable structures and possibly limiting them to the scale of recreational vehicles (RVs) or five removable structures per campsite. Civic groups and residents urged banning RVs or generators altogether, citing emissions, noise and visual impacts.

- Stay durations: Several farmers asked the council to allow three‑night stays to accommodate long holiday weekends; planning staff recommended flexibility to reduce disruptive setup/teardown impacts, and the Planning Board suggested considering three nights as a minimum for some uses.

- Environmental safeguards: The board recommended explicit prohibitions on siting campgrounds within stream buffers, floodplains or existing forests, and asked the Office of Zoning to include DPS in post‑implementation reviews and data reporting.

Voices on each side

Farm groups including the Montgomery County Farm Bureau, Montgomery Countryside Alliance and individual farmers testified in favor of a carefully regulated program that would preserve prime soils while allowing farm stays as a revenue source. Many residents and environmental advocates opposed the ZTA as drafted, citing groundwater and septic capacity concerns, noise, safety and the Reserve’s long‑standing land‑use purpose.

Next steps

The council scheduled the ZTA for the Planning, Housing & Parks Committee, which will consider modifications and the Planning Board’s technical recommendations. Staff recommended adding clearer definitions, environmental guardrails, and measurable reporting requirements before implementation.

Ending

The hearing made clear there is broad interest in agritourism but little consensus on how to protect farmland, water resources and rural character while allowing farm stays. The committee will review edits and return language for council consideration.