Ed. — From the Sunday, July 18, print edition.
COURTHOUSE — City Councilmember Michael Berlucchi on Monday, July 12, met with the Virginia Beach Agricultural Advisory Commission to discuss a new committee tasked with studying limited agricultural activities in suburban areas, such as allowing people to keep a few hens for eggs.
Berlucchi, who represents the Rose Hall District, co-sponsored the creation of the Virginia Beach Urban Agriculture Advisory Committee. It initially was proposed by former City Councilmember Jessica Abbott, who represented the Kempsville District until her unexpected resignation on Friday, July 2, due to a health concern.
The City Council voted to create the new committee in May, but debate about its role and how long it would exist followed. City Councilmember Barbara Henley, a farmer who represents the Princess Anne District, has raised some of the questions about the new committee’s scope and the need to communicate with the commission.
“Some of the topics that are meant to be covered by this committee relate to the work that you do,” Berlucchi told members of the commission during the meeting at the municipal center. “We received some feedback, I think fairly and rightfully so, that members of this commission were interested in being part of that discussion.”
Berlucchi gave an overview of the specific goals of the new committee – whether to allow people outside the city’s agriculture district to keep backyard hens and own miniature pigs as pets, as well as support for a city composting effort. He also wanted to address the perception that the new committee might be a “slight” to the commission.
The committee as envisioned by Abbott is a standing committee. Berlucchi told the commissioners the work of the new committee might take a year. Members had not yet been selected, but they will soon be appointed by members of the City Council.
“She had long been a champion of urban agriculture,” Berlucchi said, speaking of Abbott, “specifically about what they call backyard hens or what they call keeping chickens. I’m not sure we were ever in agreement personally about what our positions on that were, but one of my observations was that there’s a large community of people in Virginia Beach, a vocal community of people, who feel they haven’t been heard on this issue.”
Berlucchi said the proponents should have a chance to be heard, and the new committee is a vehicle for doing this, whatever the council ultimately decides. He added that he does not have existing positions on the subjects that will be studied.
Berlucchi said commissioners have expertise related to these topics, but they are not strictly agricultural issues of the sort the commission tackles, such as advising on policy related to the farming industry. “It’s also about suburban lifestyle,” he said.
The new committee will have participation from city staff, including from the planning, legal and agriculture departments.
Regarding backyard chickens, Commissioner John Cromwell asked about lot sizes.
“Can you live in a condo and keep chickens in a common area?” Cromwell asked. “What’s the deal?”
“Well, currently, it’s not possible at all,” Berlucchi said. “It’s not permissible in any way. So those are the sorts of questions that would be addressed if they get to that point.”
“The committee’s going to come up with some recommendations, some theory behind it,” Virginia Beach Agriculture Director David Trimmer said. He noted that other cities, including neighboring Chesapeake, have these practices in place, and the city will need to study a range of issues related to permitting an activity, determining its possible scope, enforcement and possible health issues.
Composting, for example, can attract rodents if it is not done carefully, Trimmer noted.
“You have to do it right,” Trimmer said.
There are also issues such as predation that must be considered for backyard hens, he said.
But Trimmer noted that there are also upsides to understanding whether activities could work in urban or suburban areas, such as educating the public about agriculture issues.
Berlucchi said the commission will have access to the same information and staff resources as the new committee should the commission want to take a position on the issues.
“You will know what’s going on,” Trimmer said. “We’ll have a seat at the table.”
“Our plan as a staff, before the appointments are made, we’ll do some of the background research so we can hit the ground running providing information,” Planning Director Bobby Tajan said.
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