Help me know my exact city ordinance?

Hi Jessica,

I'm right next door in Cascade area of Benson Hill.

I used to be in King Co., before we annexed to Renton. 

The regs for chickens were a minimum of 6000 sf lot allowed 3 chickens. Then every additional 2000 sf allowed for an additional chicken.

No Roos. 

There were also some setback requirements for coops. If my memory serves it was an easy 10 ft from any residence and property line.

Don't quote me on this, it was a long time ago.

It's late right now, but I'll be around in the morning, so I'll find them and post or send them to you.

Imp

Quote:

Originally Posted by FirewifeJess 

Thanks that would be awesome if you can actually find it and/or link me to it. I know Kent's ordinance is 3 chickens per 5,000s/f lot, plus an additional chicken per extra 1,000s/f. I have almost half and acre with 21,000+s/f, so under Kent I could have 19 including roosters since there isn't a ban. I'll keep an eye on this thread too though!

It looks like since King Co turned over animal control to the Humane Society/ volunteers that they have a complete new code, that doesn't really mention BYCs. Looks very animal/farm friendly with a bunch of large livestock, wetlands, salmon, heron etc regs.

Sorry the links are not working.

 You could try contacting Seattle Tilth, they are pretty up on Chicken stuff here around the sound.

Here let's try this.

http://www.kingcounty.gov/council/legislation/kc_code.aspx

Code 21A.28 through 21A.55. Lots of stuff you don't need for BYCs or non large livestock.

Imp- 

I would imagine that the kicker is that you would never get a permit for the max 2000 sf coop on a suburban lot. 

Can you imagine. lol! 

I think since the economy is so tight, that worrying about chickens seems like a waste of resources. Concentrate on large livestock, dogs etc. Did you notice- no limit on indoor cats. 

I would suggest you make friends with your neighbors, if you have any, avoid noise complaints.

Good luck,

Imp

Hello!

I thought I'd share the info I was able to get last fall.

I went down to the city of Kent and asked if there

were any chicken restrictions of any kind.  

I was told there were no restrictions on roosters, 

that they are subject to the noise ordinance, but

it is highly unlikely that a rooster could violate it,

as the noise must be constant in such a way

that it could be measured in decibels.  Dogs are

another example of an animal that can make a

lot of noise, but is nearly impossible to cite.

Chickens are subject to the quantity limit based

on property size, but seems generous.  Based

on square footage I can legally keep about 20

chickens, both hens and roosters on just under

a half acre.  I love roosters as part of my flock.

I admire how they keep watch for the safety of

the hens, warn of danger, and round them up

and take them in when danger is spotted.  They

point out food and stand aside while the hens

partake.  Not to mention their beauty.  I hope that

city of Kent will continue to allow roosters.  Should

they decide to outlaw roosters due to the occasional

and intermittent crowing, I hope that they will outlaw

barking dogs.  We have tolerated the barking of

our neighbor's dog for years - with no remedy

available to us - since the neighbor does not show

any willingness to suppress it.

I think rooster owners can help to keep our birds

welcome by keeping them closed in the coop until

a reasonable hour each morning.  I can sympathize

that city folk may not appreciate the crowing before

dawn.

I have pasted the Kent ordinance pertaining to numbers

of fowl allowed.

I hope this helps!

Sincerely,

LBear 

15.08.070 Keeping of animals.

The keeping of bees, small domesticated animals, large domesticated animals, and domesticated fowl, as those terms are defined in KCC 8.03.030, is permitted in all zones as an accessory use to any principal use permitted or to a permitted conditional use, subject to the standards and restrictions of this section and Ch. 8.03 KCC.

A. Small domesticated animals. Up to three (3) small domesticated animals may be kept accessory to each business establishment or dwelling unit on a lot, except as follows:

1. In no case is more than one (1) miniature potbelly pig allowed per business establishment or dwelling unit.

2. More than three (3) small domesticated animals are permitted on lots of at least twenty thousand (20,000) square feet, subject to the provisions of Ch. 8.03 KCC.

3. In no case shall a structure that restrains or houses small domesticated animals, such as a kennel or other accessory structure, be located closer than ten (10) feet from any other residential lot.

C. Domesticated fowl. Up to three (3) domesticated fowl may be kept on any lot that is at least five thousand (5,000) square feet, subject to the provisions of Ch. 8.03 KCC. These domesticated fowl are in addition to the small domesticated animals that may be permitted on a lot in accordance with subsection (A) of this section. One (1) additional domesticated fowl is permitted for each one thousand (1,000) square feet of land in excess of the minimum five thousand (5,000) square foot threshold. In no case shall a coop or other accessory structure that restrains or houses domesticated fowl be located closer than ten (10) feet from any other residential lot.

I also live in Kent and although a couple of my neighbors have indicated they can occasionally hear my 4 hens, none have complained.  Personally, I would not keep a rooster because of the noise.  My hens are loud enough.  They tend to announce every time an egg is laid or the wind blows.  No offense intended to any one but again, to me its a question of courtesy to not keep a rooster if you live in anything resembling a neighborhood.  I don't care for my neighbors occasional barking dog either but I also don't think it's fair to my neighbors to add to the problem with a 5AM rooster.  I also look at it this way, if nobody complains and you don't add to the problem with a rooster then you won't run the risk of having 'hen rights' taken away by annoyed neighbors.