Commissioners in Worcester County, Maryland, have proposed new legislation to tighten poultry house regulations. Similar regulations are already in place in Wicomico and Somerset counties.
County bill 17-3 , introduced on March 21, alters zoning on poultry operations in Worcester country and is aimed at “protecting the health, safety, welfare and peaceful enjoyment of properties adjacent to or in the immediate vicinity of the poultry operations.” The Worcester Country Commissioners will hold a public meeting on the bill on Tuesday, April 25.
The new bill requires a 200-foot setback of chicken houses from any adjacent property; limits the amount of chicken houses per parcel to eight; as well as requiring vegetative buffers between chicken houses and neighboring properties.
The Assateague Coastal Trust supports the new bill because of environmental concerns regarding large-scale poultry operations and has scheduled a community meeting on April 18. The mission of the non-profit Assateague Coastal Trust “is to promote and encourage the protection of the health, productivity, and sustainability of the coastal bays watershed of Delmarva through advocacy, education and conservation.”
