Sussex council approves Barn Hill Preserve plan
Barn Hill Preserve of Delaware has been given a green light to proceed with its plans to comply with county regulations and expand a zoological park at 34215 Peppers Corner Road near Frankford.
At its March 22 meeting, Sussex County Council upheld the county planning and zoning commission's recommendation for approval of the conditional-use application with a unanimous vote.
Council clarified the findings to allow for connection to the county sewer system when it becomes available to the parcel. Currently, the property has on-site septic service.
Barn Hill owner Josh Mueller, who grew up on the 7-acre property, has plans for new programs along with upgrades to the preserve during a two-phase project.
Mueller, who has a degree in wildlife ecology from Louisiana State University, said the main mission of Barn Hill Preserve is education. He opened the preserve two years with limited programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Anyone who knows me, knows my true passion for animals,” he said. “I want to educate youth and adults on conservation issues and how they can make a difference in the world of animals.”
Why application is needed
District 5 Councilman John Rieley questioned why a conditional use was needed since the activity seems to be agritourism related.
Sussex County Planning and Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse said his staff and the applicant discussed that issue. He said since there were no crops or food produced on the property, it was not considered an agricultural use and not a farm per se. He said while farms of 5 acres or more are permitted to have a petting zoo, a zoological park is not permitted in AR-1 zoning without a conditional use.
“With the on-site public component, it does not fit within the definition of agriculture, although it is very much compatible,” Whitehouse said.
About the preserve
The preserve includes several buildings and paddocks to house more than 25 exotic animals, including the stars of the preserve, two-toed sloths and red kangaroos. Several programs have been developed to provide interactions between the animals and people, including kangaroo yoga, and painting and sipping with sloths. Otter swims are also a popular program.
Other animals, some of which are endangered or threatened species, include an owl, camel, aardvark, alligators, a Eurasian lynx and wallabies.
Mueller said all of the paddocks are fenced in with double-entry doors, and an 8-foot fence surrounds the perimeter of the property.
During their visits, guests have an opportunity to create their own experiences interacting with the animals on guided tours.
Mueller said visits to the preserve are by reservation only and limited to 25 people. With a staff of 11, the preserve also provides outreach programs to schools throughout the Northeast and East Coast. He said in 2021, the preserve's mobile units provided free programs to 300,000 students.
Mueller said tours began last summer, and kangaroo yoga started in 2020. In addition, several outreach programs took place during the pandemic. He plans to be open from April through Christmas for tours and programs, with no activities beyond 9 p.m.
Mueller said he has a U.S. Department of Agriculture Class C license, which is the same level as every zoo in the nation. In addition, he said, the operation is inspected every year.
He said a zoological veterinarian visits the preserve every month and is available 24 hours a day. In addition, he uses the services of veterinarian Mike Metzler, who owns Four Paws Animal Hospital in Bridgeville. A zoological nutritionist plans diets tailored to each individual animal.
