[The Carroll County Board of Zoning Appeals held a public hearing on January 27, 2026, at 225 North Center Street, Westminster, MD. The board heard four cases: a conditional use for a family cemetery, a motion to reconsider a previous variance denial for an accessory dwelling unit, an appeal of a zoning administrator’s determination regarding a drug treatment facility, and a conditional use for a contractor’s equipment storage yard with variances. Decisions were made on all four cases.]
Case #6595 – Conditional Use for Small Family Cemetery (9:00 a.m.)
Case #6589 – Motion to Reconsider Variances for Accessory Dwelling Unit (9:30 a.m.)
Case #6581 – Appeal of Zoning Administrator’s Determination (10:00 a.m.)
Case #6560 – Conditional Use for Contractor’s Equipment Storage Yard with Variances (11:00 a.m.)
We're going to call the Board of Zonning Appeals hearing to order here this morning. And the first case we have is 6595. Mr. Harmer, if you come forward to the table and the microphones.071.01, one fifty-eight.002. A site visit is planned for January 22nd, 2026 at approximately 915 AM. In the file in the file of this matter, we have the following documents. There is a response to Bethany Henderson's request to various state and local agencies from J.P. Smith Jr. Ag Preservation Program Manager. This request for a private family burial site needs to be approved by the Carroll County Ag Advisory Board. Approval could be given pending a decision of the Ag Board at the February board meeting. There is a January 15, 2026 memorandum from Carlisle Flat Comprehensive Planner. The above reference BZA case has been reviewed for consistency with the policies and recommendations contained in the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan as amended in 2019 to Carroll County Water and Sewer Master Plan and other functional plans. Based on the factors described above, planning staff finds that this request is consistent with the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan as amended in 2019. There's a January 15, 2026 letter from Daphne Daly, Secretary to the Planning Commission to the Board. After having reviewed the information contained in the attached analysis, the facts as presented in the application, the relevant portions of the applicable comprehensive and other functional plans, and in accordance with the provisions set forth in the land use article. This conditional use request, if granted, is consistent with the policies, timing of the implementation of the plan, timing of development, timing of rezoning, development patterns, land uses and densities or intensities. There is a response to Bethany Henderson's request to various state and local agencies from Anastasia Yemelanova zoning administrator. The subject property is located within the agricultural zoning district. Cemeteries are classified as conditional use requiring approval by the BZA pursuant to chapter. The Carroll County Zoning Code does not distinguish between commercial cemeteries and private or family burial sites accordingly. Cemetery uses are generally intended to be reviewed by the BZA. In this instance, a bureau has already occurred on the property, and the Bureau activity is represented as being limited to a private family burial site located on the applicant's own property with no commercial component. In light of the limited scope and private nature of the use, zoning administration respectfully requests that should the board find the use acceptable, the applicant be required to obtain a zoning certificate for administrative and record keeping purposes. Hearing notice was posted January 9th, 2026 by Inspector Scott Robinson. Various maps in the file. Do I have a motion to enter the following evidence? So moved. Second. All those in favor, aye. Aye. All opposed, no. We will go ahead and move the following evidence. Mr. Harmon, uh, let me try to explain the procedure that we use here at the Board of Zoning Appeals. You as the applicant will have the opportunity to present your case as it relates to this request. Um the anyone from the public then can ask you questions of your testimony. The board will have the opportunity to ask you questions of your testimony. Anyone else that wants to make comment about the case will have that opportunity to do that at that point. And then you'll have the opportunity for a summation comments if uh you would like, and then the board will make the decision. Okay. I understand you will totally understand the process when it's all over. Okay. So Mr. Harmon, would you you want to go ahead and uh tell us what your request is and and and the um the need for it and just go through everything? Um we're requesting uh burial site on the farm. My kids are the fourth generation. We plan on keeping it in the family, forming a trust that it would be that way forever. Um they're not okay. And the um will there be any um will there be it I guess it really doesn't matter?