Montgomery County Legislators seek to protect farmers in the Ag Reserve from Homeowners Covenants that restrict or prohibit farming

The Transportation and Land Use Committee of the Montgomery County Delegation to the General Assembly is considering a bill that would provide that "ANY PROVISION OF RECORDED COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS THAT PROHIBITS OR RESTRICTS AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURE ON AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY IS UNENFORCEABLE. and

ANY PROVISION OF RECORDED COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS THAT PROHIBITS OR RESTRICTS COMMERCIAL OR BUSINESS ACTIVITY IS UNENFORCEABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT HAS THE EFFECT OF PROHIBITING OR RESTRICTING THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY ON AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY.

This bill was brought about in response to recent cases in which residential homeowners in the Ag Reserve have created covenants that would restrict or outright prohibit farming, even on land currently being used for farming. The Bill number is currently MC 16-12. You can see the entire text at: http://www.montgomerycountydelegation.com/documents/MC16-12.pdf.

The bill is on the agenda for the T&LU Committee meeting tomorrow (2/2/12). Here are names and contact info for committee members:

JEFFREY D. WALDSTREICHER

Democrat, District 18,

Montgomery County

(410) 841-3130, (301) 858-3130

1-800-492-7122, ext. 3130 (toll free)

e-mail:

jeff.waldstreicher@house.state.md.us

CRAIG J. ZUCKER

Democrat, District 14, Montgomery County

(410) 841-3380, (301) 858-3380

1-800-492-7122, ext. 3380 (toll free)

e-mail:

craig.zucker@house.state.md.us

HEATHER R. MIZEUR

Democrat, District 20, Montgomery County

(410) 841-3493, (301) 858-3493

1-800-492-7122, ext. 3493 (toll free)

e-mail:

heather.mizeur@house.state.md.us

SAM ARORA

Democrat, District 19, Montgomery County

(410) 841-3528, (301) 858-3528

1-800-492-7122, ext. 3528 (toll free)

e-mail: sam.arora@house.state.md.us

CHARLES E. BARKLEY

Democrat, District 39, Montgomery County

(410) 841-3001, (301) 858-3001

1-800-492-7122, ext. 3001 (toll free)

e-mail:

charles.barkley@house.state.md.us

KUMAR P. BARVE

Democrat, District 17,

Montgomery County

e-mail:

(410) 841-3464, (301) 858-3464

1-800-492-7122, ext. 3464 (toll free)

e-mail: kumar.barve@house.state.md.us

SUSAN C. LEE

Democrat, District 16, Montgomery County

(410) 841-3649, (301) 858-3649

1-800-492-7122, ext. 3649 (toll free)

e-mail: susan.lee@house.state.md.us

ARUNA MILLER

Democrat, District 15, Montgomery County

(410) 841-3090, (301) 858-3090

1-800-492-7122, ext. 3090 (toll free)

e-mail: aruna.miller@house.state.md.us