Top Story FRANKLIN COUNTY Franklin County chicken and bee zoning overhaul draws resident backlash JASON DUNOVANT The Roanoke Times Apr 8, 2026 15 hrs ago 0 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Efforts to overhaul Franklin County's antiquated zoning laws is facing growing opposition from residents in recent weeks.kAmp 5C27E @7 AC@A@D65 492?86D E@ E96 4@F?EJVD K@?:?8 @C5:?2?46 92D 366? >6E H:E9 G@42= 4C:E:4:D> @?=:?6 2?5 2E C646?E >66E:?8D] |F49 @7 E96 4@?46C? 4@>6D 7C@> AC@A@D65 =:>:ED @? 49:4<6?D 2?5 366D E92E 42? 36 <6AE :? D@>6 K@?:?8 5:DEC:4ED H9:=6 @FEC:89E AC@9:3:E:?8 E96> :? @E96CD]k^AmkAmsF6 E@ E92E AF3=:4 AFD9324<[ D@>6 4@F?EJ @77:4:2=D 2C6 4@?D:56C:?8 2 56=2J E@ E96 AC@46DD] k^Am kAmQx E9:?< E96C6 :D D@>6 >6C:E :? A@DEA@?:?8 E9:D[Q D2:5 {@C:6 $>:E9[ uC2?<=:? r@F?EJ q@2C5 @7 $FA6CG:D@CD 492:C 2?5 v:==D rC66< C6AC6D6?E2E:G6] k^Am People are also reading… Lawsuit against state trooper on behalf of Franklin County girl moves forward 12-year-old arrested in death of classmate who was hit in the head by a metal water bottle Franklin County sheriff's deputies often make immigration arrests for ICE Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother Franklin County considers 7-cent real estate tax increase Smith Mountain Lake saw increase in boating incidents and deaths in 2025 Board approves carp comeback at Smith Mountain Lake to eat invasive hydrilla Martinsville council moves toward releasing forensic audit after months of secrecy Smith Mountain Lake State Park lecture series wraps up on Sunday Lake Days gets students up close to nature at Smith Mountain Lake 2 Franklin County softball players among those to watch in Southwest Virginia Cyanobacteria up in Smith Mountain Lake, but no harmful algal blooms last year Budget woes complicate residents' push for new dog park in Franklin County Kids invited to annual Cops and Bobbers event by Rocky Mount PD Manhunt ends with fatal shooting of Henry County suspect kAm$>:E9 D2:5 D96 H:== AC@A@D6 2 56=2J E@ E96 K@?:?8 FA52E6 2E E96 3@2C5VD ?6IE AF3=:4 >66E:?8 @? pAC:= a`] x7 DFA6CG:D@CD 2AAC@G6[ :E 4@F=5 >@G6 324< E96 E:>6=:?6 E@ 8:G6 4@F?EJ DE277 >@C6 E:>6 E@ >2<6 492?86D 32D65 @? 4@>>6?ED 7C@> E96 AF3=:4]k^AmkAmQ%9:D K@?:?8 :D 2 3:8 AC@;64E 2?5 :E 56D6CG6D @FC 7F== 2EE6?E:@?[Q $>:E9 D2:5] k^Am Some Franklin County residents are pushing back on proposed limits on keeping and chickens and bees on their property. The Roanoke Times, File 2015 kAm%96 4FCC6?E E:>6=:?6 :?4=F56D 2 ;@:?E H@C< D6DD:@? 36EH66? DFA6CG:D@CD 2?5 E96 4@F?EJVD A=2??:?8 4@>>:DD:@? :? pAC:=] %96 A=2??:?8 4@>>:DD:@? 92D 366? H@C<:?8 E@ FA52E6 E96 @C5:?2?46 @G6C E96 A2DE J62C]k^Am kAm%96 A=2??:?8 4@>>:DD:@? 92D D4965F=65 2 AF3=:4 962C:?8 @? E96 K@?:?8 FA52E6 :? yF?6] %96 3@2C5 @7 DFA6CG:D@CD 92D 2 AF3=:4 962C:?8 D6E 7@C yF=J] k^Am kAmQx 5@?VE E9:?< E96J 42AEFC65 E96 4F=EFC6 @7 uC2?<=:? r@F?EJ[Q D2:5 &?:@? w2== C6D:56?E %:> (2==[ H9@ 92D 6IAC6DD65 4@?46C? H:E9 E96 492?86D] k^Am kAm(2==[ H9@ 92D 2 D>2== 324<J2C5 49:4<6? 4@@A[ D2:5 9:D 4@?46C? >@DE=J DE6>D 7C@> 492?86D E@ 9@H C6D:56?ED 42? 5:G:56 E96:C AC@A6CEJ :?E@ :?5:G:5F2= A2C46=D] w6 92D 2AAC@I:>2E6=J `__ 24C6D 2?5 D2:5 E96 AC@A@D65 492?86D E@ E96 K@?:?8 @C5:?2?46 H@F=5 =:>:E 9@H 96 5:G:56D 9:D AC@A6CEJ E@ 9:D 49:=5C6? :? E96 7FEFC6]k^AmkAmQ%@ AFE C6DEC:4E:@?D =:<6 E9:D[ :E >2<6D ?@ D6?D6 H92ED@6G6C[Q (2== D2:5]k^Am Surrounded by worker bees, Roanoke County beekeeping enthusiast Tim Vermilion inspects a backyard hive. The Roanoke Times, File 2020 kAmuC2?<=:? r@F?EJ 92D 366? H@C<:?8 E@ @G6C92F= K@?:?8 D:?46 a_ac[ 7@==@H:?8 E96 25@AE:@? @7 2 ?6H 4@>AC696?D:G6 A=2? 7@C E96 4@F?EJ] %96 4@F?EJVD K@?:?8 @C5:?2?46 92D?VE 366? FA52E65 D:?46 :E H2D 7:CDE AFE :? A=246 :? `hgg] k^Am kAmq2D65 @? E9@D6 62C=J 5:D4FDD:@?D :? a_ac[ E96 8@2= @7 E96 K@?:?8 FA52E6 H2D E@ >@56C?:K6 2?5 DEC62>=:?6 E9:?8D E92E 92G6 366? @FE52E65] %9:?8D =:<6 46==F=2C E@H6CD[ D@=2C 72C>D @C D9@CE\E6C> C6?E2=D H6C6 ?@E 4@?D:56C65 H96? E96 K@?:?8 @C5:?2?46 H2D 7:CDE 56G6=@A65] k^AmkAm{:D2 r@@A6C[ uC2?<=:? r@F?EJVD 5:C64E@C @7 A=2??:?8[ D2:5 E96C6 H6C6 ?@ =:>:ED @? E9:?8D =:<6 366D 2?5 49:4<6?D :? E96 `hgg @C5:?2?46] %96 4@F?EJVD @C:8:?2= 8@2= H2D E@ 7@4FD >@C6 @? =:>:E:?8 E96> :? D@>6 DF35:G:D:@?D H:E9 D>2==6C =@E D:K6D] k^Am kAmQx 2AAC64:2E6 E96 AF3=:4 =6EE:?8 FD <?@H[Q r@@A6C D2:5 @7 4@>>6?ED 7C@> C6D:56?ED :? C646?E 52JD] k^Am kAmr@@A6C D2:5 D96 2?5 @E96C 4@F?EJ DE277 H:== E2<6 E9@D6 4@>>6?ED 7C@> C6D:56?ED E@ 7FCE96C FA52E6 E96 ?6H K@?:?8 CF=6D] %9@D6 4@>>6?ED H:== =625 E@ FA52E6D E@ E96 5C27E K@?:?8 @C5:?2?46 2E 7FEFC6 A=2??:?8 4@>>:DD:@? >66E:?8D]k^AmkAmQx E9:?< J@F H:== D66 D@>6 492?86D E@ E92E D64E:@?[Q r@@A6C D2:5 @7 FA52E6D E@ E96 5C27E K@?:?8 @C5:?2?46] k^AmkAmr@@A6C D2:5 492?86D E@ E96 4@F?EJVD K@?:?8 2C6 72C 7C@> 4@>A=6E6] (@C< D6DD:@?D 2?5 AF3=:4 962C:?8D 2C6 DE:== A=2??65 E92E H:== 8:G6 4@F?EJ 4:E:K6?D E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ =6E E96:C 4@?46C?D 36 <?@H?] k^Am kAmQ%9:D :D DE:== :? 5C27E 7@C> 2?5 H:== DE2J :? 5C27E 7@C> F?E:= :E :D 25@AE65 3J E96 3@2C5 @7 DFA6CG:D@CD[Q r@@A6C D2:5]k^Am Jason Dunovant (540) 981-3324jason.dunovant@roanoke.com 0 comments Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Franklin County sheriff's deputies often make immigration arrests for ICE The county is a participant in an ICE enforcement agreement. 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