The Warren County Planning Commission opened a public hearing Oct. 8 on a proposed zoning text amendment to permit backyard beekeeping as an accessory use in the Residential-1 (R-1) zoning district and then voted to table the matter for further revision and a future public hearing.

Planning staff presented a draft ordinance to add backyard beekeeping by right in R-1 and to create new supplementary regulations. The draft would add a new subsection to Chapter 180 of the Warren County Code and require a zoning permit reviewed annually. Proposed limits include no more than three beehives per half acre and a maximum of 12 beehives per lot or contiguous lots under the same ownership; written permission from owners for rental properties; a minimum 30-foot setback from all property lines; a prohibition on sales of goods or services related to honeybees; and a “flyaway” barrier of a solid fence or hedge at least 6 feet tall extending 3 feet past each side of the hive entrance. The draft also calls for a management plan reviewed and approved by the Virginia Cooperative Extension and for acquisition, construction and maintenance to follow Title 3.2, Chapter 44 of the Code of Virginia.

Dozens of speakers — including local beekeepers and nearby residents — told the commission the ordinance is too restrictive. Denise Vowell, vice president of the Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah and a volunteer beekeeping instructor, said the supplementary regulations “are unneeded” and argued limits on selling honey would “cripple the beekeepers in their ability to keep up with the costs of beekeeping.” Pam Wunderlich and John Wunderlich, both Warren County residents who described several years of backyard beekeeping experience, said the county should encourage beekeeping and that the proposed sale prohibition and some numeric limits are too strict. Other residents asked for reasonable setbacks and clear signage so guests and emergency responders can locate properties.

Planning commissioners and staff discussed options for revising the draft ordinance and agreed there is time under the county’s 100-day review window to make changes and hold another public hearing before an action must be taken. A motion to table the text amendment and return with revised language and authorization to advertise for a later public hearing passed unanimously.

The commission suggested staff consider easing the sale restriction, reexamining numeric hive limits, and clarifying setback and flyaway barrier requirements; staff indicated the draft likely borrowed language from the county’s backyard-chicken regulations and was open to revision and further outreach with the beekeeping community.

The item will return to the Planning Commission for further review, with staff proposing revised language and a schedule for another public hearing and re-advertisement.