Defending the honor of handcrafted soap

We’ve been waging a war with the county fathers for the past six months for the right to build a soap barn on land that we own.  Last night we were defeated.  Many people suggested that we should not have asked but built a barn and called it something else.  Sure makes you wonder.

Below is our final presentation to the Board of Commissioners of Oconee County.  Tomorrow I will publish the article in the Oconee Enterprise.

Chairman Davis and Oconee County Commissioners:

Through the process of investigating the feasibility of constructing a soap barn on my land, I have been impressed and admittedly frustrated with the dogged desire and intention of the commissioners and planning department to preserve and protect Oconee county from the ravages of inappropriate business ventures in agricultural districts.  I understand that you are being responsible to your  constituents, which is your job.

According to last weeks discussion at the Agenda setting meeting, Commissioner Jim Luke raised these two question:

1. If agricultural products are being used in handcrafted soap making, wouldn’t that satisfy the requirement for an agricultural business.  And
2. If a special use permit is not granted then nobody, not even home-based folks  in ag can make soap unless they rezone their Ag property.  (please correct me if I’ve misquoted you)

I don’t recall that either of these questions was answered.

My soap is made with goats milk, rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and lemon verbena.  It is my hope/intention to get back to growing these herbs, and milking my own goats to supply my business needs. And just to reiterate: No detergents are used, no surfactants, no industrial machinery, no manufacturing machinery, no noise, no run off, no air pollution, no ground contamination, no semi’s, no retail.

It was for personal reasons that I left this same land in 1996 when I had goats, cows, bees and a large garden.  When I moved I had to find homes for my animals and bees and my farm equipment.  I’ve managed to hold onto this piece of my land despite many challenges.

My point is this: I’m not some random person looking to take advantage of my neighbors or to ruin the very agricultural “neighborhood” that I love so much.  I suspect that if I already had my house built on my land, this discussion might be very different.  I may be looked upon simply as a homeowner who wants to have more than 700 sq ft in my home for hand crafted soapmaking.  Since my house is not yet under construction, it is seemingly more difficult to wrap one’s mind around my request for a soap barn.

You have a handout from the  USDA

You may not know that the Federal Government puts handcrafted soap under it’s agricultural umbrella as an agricultural activity

The USDA has a certification program specifically for personal care products.  If the Board of Commissioners voted to allow handcrafted soap as a special use in A-1 you could successfully defend your decision to allow handcrafted soapmaking in A-1 by special permit, by citing the USDA organic certification process for handcrafted soap.  Part of the certification process involves proof of organic ingredients and their sourcing.

Regarding the comments last week by my neighbor Bob Smith:

I disagree with Bob’s assumption that handcrafted soapmaking is any less of an agricultural activity than his horse farm.  The impact on the land, the environment, the air and the neighborhood is of no consequence with my soap business.  By virtue of my gender, I cannot be a “gentleman farmer” as is referred to in the Future Land Use Plan that was cited, however I believe that my business is no less suitable than his horse farm, the dog kennel next door, the goat farm down the road or the turkey farm around the corner.

My  business is every bit as appropriate an agricultural business as any of these when referencing the future Country Estates designation.

Mr. Smith suggested that the Future Land use code would have to be changed before a decision could be made regarding handcrafted soap.  Again, I disagree.  His assumption is that handcrafted soapmaking is not an agri business.

Also at last weeks meeting, it was stated that a stand alone production facility is subject to the international building code which has been adopted by the state.  I suppose Mr. Smith was referring to this when he stated that I would need «a commercial drive and fire suppression.

Here’s my question on this item :

ARE BARNS and SHOPS that are stand alone facilities subject to the international bldg code adopted by the state ?

Cows produce milk, Shops produce wood and metal products, Horse barns house horses used for riding lessons, Soap barns produce soap.  Why would handcrafted soapmaking be in a different category in terms of building code than other agricultural businesses?  People who have barns have employees that they hire to milk, ride, muck stalls, etc. too.  Horse farms that offer riding lessons have “customers” who enter and exit their drive – are they required to have a commercial drive?

Your second handout refers to the international building code.

I’ve researched and compiled a list of recent stand alone buildings for agricultural use in the area where I own land.  The stand alone structures are from 1,728 sq. ft. to 2,760 sq ft.  Were they subject to the international building code as stand alone facilities ?  Are they required to have fire suppression systems ?   How about commercial drives ?

• 02-10-2009 2200 HTD SQ FT 200 SQ FT UNHEATED.EST COST 125,000.00      53071  ADDITION  WORKSHOP 42 X 27 – 1& 1/2 STORIES -C/O GRADY THRASHER III  Parcel Number  D 02 004I      2851 FLAT ROCK ROAD WATKINSVILLE, GA 30677
• 2006     BARN   36×48 1728 SQ FT 2801 FLAT ROCK ROAD  Parcel Number  D 02 004R      WATKINSVILLE, GA 30677-2930 Tax District UNINCORPORATED (District 01)  Location Address 2801 FLAT ROCK RD 2008 Millage Rate 24.436 itsValue
• 2006 –     BARN 2760 FLAT ROCK ROAD WATKINSVILLE, GA 30677 Tax District UNINCORPORATED (District 01)  Location Address 2760 FLAT ROCK RD 2008 Millage Rate 24.436  Legal Description 388/378 27/250 ; 388/377 27/250 Acres 15.61 
• 2006       70 X 30 = 2100 JOSEPHINE M.  Parcel Number  D 02 022     1081 OLD BARNETT SHOALS R ATHENS, GA 30605 Tax District UNINCORPORATED (District 01)  Location Address 1061 OLD BARNETT SHOALS    

• 2001  BARN WITH LOFT   36×48 = 1728 DEBORAH A.  Parcel Number  D 02 005A     1791 MCREES MILL ROAD WATKINSVILLE, GA 30677 Tax District UNINCORPORATED (District 01)  Location Address 1791 MCREES MILL RD 2008 Millage Rate 24.436 1994  BARN WITH LOFT   40×64 = 2560 2000  BARN   38×58 = 2204
• MAXEY JOHNNY A. & SUSAN S. Today’s Date August 1, 2010  Mailing Address    PO BOX 692  Parcel Number  D 02 035      WATKINSVILLE, GA 30677 Tax District UNINCORPORATED (District 01)  Location Address 1650 BOB GODFREY RD 2008 Millage Rate 24.436 

• 1988 – STABLE LOW COST  48×36 1728 1810 MCREES MILL RD  Parcel Number  D 02 004B      WATKINSVILLE, GA 30677 Tax District UNINCORPORATED (District 01)  Location Address 1810 MCREES MILL RD 2008 Millage Rate 24.436

In my opinion, it is discriminatory to allow certain agricultural activities in this area and prohibit other ag activities based on subjective opinion.  I understand that hand crafted soap making does not fit into a neat category like hog farming, bee keeping, flower and herb farming, horse farming, or turkey farming, and that this request has not been made before now.   I also understand that you don’t want to set a precedent that leaves the county wide open for an undesirable commercial soap mammoth or “other chemical manufacturing” facility.  My understanding is that the very purpose of the special use option is to have and  maintain control at every step of the planning process.

I’ve done my best to educate and inform  both the board and the planning department as to the vast differences between handcrafted soap making and commercial soap making.  There is little more that I can say.

I’d like to leave you with this:

At the Athens Farmers Market a few weeks ago a woman came to me offering to sell me fresh goats milk for my soap.  As I packed up to go home it occurred to me, not for the first time, that I can’t have goats where I currently live – and I can’t make soap on the land where livestock is permissible.

So, as I said before, I would happily construct a 2400 sq. ft. barn type building so as to be in keeping with other out building structures in the area, it would be in an area of my property that is not in close proximity to Mr. Smith or any of my other neighbors.  I am not planning to “manufacture” soap which is in direct opposition and insult  to hand crafting soap and I have no plans to do any chemical manufacturing.

Thank you