City Council last Weds approved 4-2 the keeping of chickens in residential zones. As the discussion progressed I got more and more nervous but we made it.
The original ordinance presented in November would have made keeping them very difficult so they formed an ad hoc committee of several of us that spoke (for and against) to rewrite the ordinance (took us 4 hours). They accepted the majority of our proposed changes.
Max of 5 laying hens and 5 chicks (to allow for recycling of flocks)
5' from property line
20' from adjacent dwellings
3 year permit needed
Can free range them
Everything else is covered by existing nuisance ordinance, smell, loose animals, neglected animals, etc.
This has been a fight for me since last July when one of my neighbors trespassed on my property and learned of my chickens. They were calling animal control upwards of 7 times daily to complain. The zoning ordinances as written did not prohibit chickens, but there is a clause indicating that if they don't give you permission you can't do it. I argued with city council that no where do they give me permission to put up Christmas lights or a basketball standard either. Another silly part is that peacocks are specifically allowed by ordinance (that was our next step if we lost).
The original ordinance presented in November would have made keeping them very difficult so they formed an ad hoc committee of several of us that spoke (for and against) to rewrite the ordinance (took us 4 hours). They accepted the majority of our proposed changes.
Max of 5 laying hens and 5 chicks (to allow for recycling of flocks)
5' from property line
20' from adjacent dwellings
3 year permit needed
Can free range them
Everything else is covered by existing nuisance ordinance, smell, loose animals, neglected animals, etc.
This has been a fight for me since last July when one of my neighbors trespassed on my property and learned of my chickens. They were calling animal control upwards of 7 times daily to complain. The zoning ordinances as written did not prohibit chickens, but there is a clause indicating that if they don't give you permission you can't do it. I argued with city council that no where do they give me permission to put up Christmas lights or a basketball standard either. Another silly part is that peacocks are specifically allowed by ordinance (that was our next step if we lost).
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