Commission backs zoning standards to allow farm breweries and distilleries as supplementary uses

Susan Webb, a planning presenter, proposed a text amendment to add farm breweries and farm distilleries to Dorchester County’s zoning code as supplementary agricultural uses, modeled on current farm-winery provisions. "This is just expanding it due to what is now, just more more modern businesses in in on the Eastern Shores too," Webb said, adding the amendment would set standards for setbacks, events, parking and scale to keep these operations compatible with surrounding rural areas.

Webb said the change would support agriculture by allowing value-added uses that help farms remain economically viable. She emphasized the amendment would not affect personal, home brewing. "This doesn't affect personal use," a speaker noted, clarifying small-scale home production is unchanged.

A staff member who identified in discussion as Kevin said he reviewed state alcohol rules to ensure the proposed county standards align with state requirements. "I spent a considerable amount of time looking at the state alcohol articles on this ... to make sure that everything that we're doing with this is consistent with the state alcohol article," he said.

A commissioner moved and another seconded a motion for a favorable recommendation to forward the draft amendment to the county council; the commission accepted that recommendation in the meeting. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally.

Next steps: The commission voted a favorable recommendation to send the farm-brewery and distillery amendment to the County Council for legislative consideration.