03/21/2025
Local friends and neighbors I need your help! We are on the agenda for April 1st for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) with the Planning Commisioner for our Farmstays/Airbnbs on our farm. If you can come support us/ email or call Mr. Powers, I would be so thankful!!
Everyone knows the purpose of our farm stays is to support our Pony Creek Farm Veterans Horse and Livestock Sanctuary Inc 501c nonprofit. We have been in operation since 2020 and I asked the county then and they said since we were agricultural and doing Airbnbs and not a bed and breakfast we did not need any permits. In October 2024, I was told by the county that I asked the wrong department about Airbnbs and to have them it requires Airbnbs/farmstays to get a Conditional Use Permits (CUP) and said we have changed from residental R-5 to R-3 and have to update to 2021 Virginia Building codes which i am happy to do except I am closed until I get the CUP and everything inspected. I also asked if we could do our main house and was told it would have to be inspected and permitted from R-5 to R-3. So those who have not done this just letting you know.
Additional Background: Moved here in 2018 when I retired from the USCG. We bought the farm and started to rescue horses, sheep, goats and donkeys. When inflation and Covid hit we realized money through produce and livestock was not enough and unreliable. We didn’t want to ask for donations and started renting out a civil war building (pays for hay), tree fort (pays for grain) and a barn (pays for vet bills) on our farm for farmstays. This ensures their safety and keeps us growing with inflation. We have been able to help veterans, disabled individuals, grieving loved ones, other rescues and so many more in the county and out! The animals have loved interacting with the guests and you can see the healing from people and animals. It has been truly an amazing experience that I would love to continue to do.
Please come out/email or call Mr. Powers and support us and other small farms and Airbnbs who potentially would like to do farm stays/Short-term rentals. These animals deserve to continue their healing and have wonderful guest learn and heal with them. Below is the announcement and a before and after of one of the horses we have been so blessed to help. Thank you in advance!
Laws that help us and others who may also want to do this.
Virginia Agricultural Operations Right to Farm Act Title 15.2 / Chapter 22
Any local restriction placed on an activity listed in this subsection shall be reasonable and shall take into account the economic impact of the restriction on agricultural operation and the agricultural nature of the activity.
SB544 Prohibits a locality from barring the use of or requiring that a special exception, special use, or conditional use permit be obtained for the use of a residential dwelling as a short-term rental where
the dwelling unit is also legally occupied by the property owner as his primary residence. (This is our primary residence) I checked with a local lawyer and residence can and does include the property the residence is on.
January 10, 2023 Virginia Attorney General opinion I which surrounding Goochland, Louisa following.
The Virginia Attorney General Opinion has clarified that short-term rentals on agricultural property are categorized as agritourism activities and, therefore, cannot be subjected to regulation by the local zoning code. This applies to A1 and A2 zoned properties: Short-term rentals are allowed by right (in alignment with the Virginia Attorney General Opinion).
I have provided my schedule F to the planning and zoning and building departments to prove we are agricultural and are A-10.
An article that shows other small farms are using airbnb/farmstays and how produce/livestock is not enough nowadays to keep a farm going.
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/7/11/20681454/farms-airbnb-vacation-rentals
As you can see I was not trying to have illegal Airbnbs on my property and thought I was able to do this. I would have never adopted them or put my farm at risk. I know some people have heard things. Please help defend or at least let them know my side of the story. All I want to do is take care of these Animals!
Please call/email/ come April 1st at 6pm and support our Farm and Rescue by allowing us the 3 Airbnbs!
Please call our district rep at
Robert (Bob) Powers
District 3 Representative
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 804-898-1973
While larger farms get by with government subsidies, smaller farms are turning to the rental economy.
