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Commission moves to permit cottage‑food sales by right tied to state law
Summary
Commissioners agreed to add 'cottage food sales' as a by‑right use (tied to the state statute) to allow low‑risk home‑made goods and roadside stands, and staff will add the use to the draft zoning code (including C1 and A1 districts) to keep local code aligned with recent state changes.
The commission reviewed a request to permit cottage‑food sales from residential properties and a staff proposal to tie the local definition to the state statute. Commissioners noted the state recently updated cottage‑food rules (including online sales) and agreed the local code should track the state to avoid repeated amendments.
Staff recommended adding "cottage food sales" as a by‑right use and attaching the local definition to the Code of Virginia provision so future state changes are reflected automatically. Commissioners supported the change, noting low‑risk products (e.g., honey, certain baked goods) are already sold locally and that the amendment would enable roadside sales and small home entrepreneurs without forcing them into a lengthy special‑use permitting process.
