Proposed ZTA will impact all rural zones (in color): AR, Rural,RC and RNC
UPDATE: We now understand there will not be a full public hearing on this measure- writing to the Council is the only way to make your self heard - please take action before September 5 and ask them to defer this issue!
Alcohol production/big event venues in AR and rural residential zones: ✔️by PHED Committee under proposed ZTA 18-03.
MCA attended both Council Committee sessions. The following responds to the Committee action and follow-up correspondence that the many letter writers (THANK YOU!) have received from Committee members. Please watch for an upcoming action alert from us prior to the full hearing on this matter that will take place, we are told, in September. More emails, calls etc. will be needed.
Alcohol Production and Agriculture Can Work- with caution. A tale of two vineyards in Frederick County:
 This is agriculture |  This is an accessory to agriculture |
VS:
 10-12,000 people at wine festivals at Linganore... |  and the results |
Nobody is arguing with wineries such as Rocklands or Sugarloaf, nor breweries such as Waredacca. These businesses underwent review by MC Department of Permitting Services and MC Office of Agriculture. They hold limited unrelated and reasonably sized commercial events. Moreover wineries and cideries are agriculture... growing most if not all of their ingredients on their farm as required by MD as part of their licensure. This proposed zoning change offers no such continuing review process, merely requiring that the lot have an MD agricultural tax assessment- minimum of $2500/year of ag product sold - and Ta Da: build a brewery, cannery, pub, event facility and import nearly all the ingredients. Shoot... achieving that tax status could be sale of a single foal.
This fast moving ZTA, however, allows for breweries that source from elsewhere (anywhere at all) to establish in the AR (on land cheaper to acquire than downcounty) and all rural residential zones... no limit on size of commercial space, nor number of rented events with over 200 attendees, each may hold 9 outdoor events (music festivals, sporting tournaments etc.) annually without maximum attendee limit and no stated hours. Wineries and cideries are conducting ag here... breweries, under this ZTA... not so much. Folks (broad group of stakeholders) are asking for reasonable scale under limited use and that greater scale (frequency/attendees) get conditional use approval. You know so the site's specifics can be factored in... like folks do in reasonable zoning. Seems to be a premise in the distant offices in Rockville and Silver Spring that "whoa... all that land out there, less people... whose gonna notice?" Take note some of the professionals have weighed in and asked for more care including staff at Montgomery County Planning and the legal advisor to the Council. Additionally, it has been only recently that we have understood the impact of breweries on water/wastewater.
The photos above depict the cautionary tale from Frederick County where a single venue hosts 10-12,000 people daily at festivals throughout the growing season. It was Ed Boyce of wonderful Black Ankle Vineyard in the top photos (now establishing a vineyard in the Reserve) who warned of this potential problem, which he added significantly dings other nearby businesses with snarled traffic and loss of rural atmosphere that is their central draw. Take note: many millions of dollars (taxpayer and private) have been spent (payed to farm owners) to acquire easements to ensure that Reserve farmland will be saved from loss to development... in order that we may continue to conduct farming.
How do we save farming by not farming and promoting conflict with the central purpose of the Ag Reserve?
The answer: You don't.
The photos above depict the cautionary tale from Frederick County where a single venue hosts 10-12,000 people daily at festivals throughout the growing season. It was Ed Boyce of wonderful Black Ankle Vineyard in the top photos (now establishing a vineyard in the Reserve) who warned of this potential problem, which he added significantly dings other nearby businesses with snarled traffic and loss of rural atmosphere that is their central draw. Take note: many millions of dollars (taxpayer and private) have been spent (payed to farm owners) to acquire easements to ensure that Reserve farmland will be saved from loss to development... in order that we may continue to conduct farming.
How do we save farming by not farming and promoting conflict with the central purpose of the Ag Reserve?
The answer: You don't.
