County approves change to help agritourism Businesses will be exempt from some fees share this The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a change to make it easier to start breweries, wineries, vineyards, orchards and similar businesses. The proposal allows those businesses to avoid paying a $2,000 plat recording fee before they get a building permit. The exemption would apply to many agricultural-zoned areas of the county. It could lead to even more savings for businesses that often have to hire land surveyors, civil engineers, and other land-use experts before they can open, council staff members previously said. The entire council signed on to an amendment that widened the change to apply to include businesses on unplatted parcels in any zone “used for Farm Alcohol Production or for Accessory Agricultural Education and Tourism.”