Allegany County, MD Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Section 360-102 of the Land Development chapter permits agricultural uses and structures in all zoning districts countywide, giving broad latitude for farming activity outside the incorporated towns. Animal and poultry husbandry, however, is called out separately for the R-1 District, where it is permitted only on lots of a minimum of two acres in size under § 360-102.A. This two-acre threshold protects existing, smaller-lot R-1 development from new intensive animal keeping while leaving larger R-1 parcels able to keep chickens, other poultry or livestock as an agricultural use.

The nonconforming-use rules reinforce the same line: § 360-131.C states that agricultural uses, including residences and outbuildings, existing when Part 4 took effect are treated as conforming uses in every zoning district, but it expressly carves out animal and poultry husbandry in the R-1 District on lots under two acres, along with concentrated animal feeding operations, from that automatic grandfathering. In practice, an R-1 property owner keeping chickens on a sub-two-acre lot before the current zoning code took effect does not get the benefit of the general nonconforming-use protection for that specific use.

Concentrated animal feeding operations are treated even more strictly, requiring a Board of Appeals special exception in the I, A and C Districts under § 360-103, plus state and County Health Department approval of sewerage treatment facilities.