Oklahoma City Oklahoma Chicken Ordinance

Okay, so here's my understanding of what the Municode says about chickens. First of all to find out anything about them, you need to search for "Domesticated Fowl." Chickens are defined in that category. (From § 8-5. Definitions: - Domesticated fowl means domesticated chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, peacocks, homing pigeons and any other domesticated birds including ostriches, emus and rheas.)
Next go here to see the guidelines for the various zoning areas, and specifically note that only areas zoned agricultural include the option of keeping animals for personal use:
http://library.municode.com/HTML/17000/level3/OKMUCO2010_CH59ZOPLCO_ARTVIIIUSUNCL.html#OKMUCO2010_CH59ZOPLCO_ARTVIIIUSUNCL_S59-8150AGUSUNCL#TOPTITLE
Alternatively, go to the Municode main page and search for "ARTICLE VIII. USE UNIT CLASSIFICATIONS"
To read more about zoning districts and their intentions go to:
http://library.municode.com/HTML/17000/level3/OKMUCO2010_CH59ZOPLCO_ARTVIZOBADI.html#TOPTITLE
Also, go to the Municode main page and search for "ARTICLE VI. ZONING BASE DISTRICTS."
Note in the tables found in the "ARTICLE VI. ZONING BASE DISTRICTS" section that "Animal Raising: Personal" is only permitted in areas zoned "AA." All other areas are marked as "Conditional." The tables instruct the user to, "Reference Section 59-9350 for standards for specific uses identified as (C), (SE), or (SP)." Here is the link that gives these guidelines: http://library.municode.com/HTML/17...KMUCO2010_CH59ZOPLCO_ARTIXUSST_S59-9350STSPUS The link just given provides the "Conditions" for "Animal Raising: Personal" in areas that are not zoned agricultural. This is where you can find the requirement of at least one acre to keep chickens in areas not zoned AA (agricultural). This section does not limit the number of chickens you can have on at least one acre, though that number should be in compliance with the laws about humanity and consideration found in other parts of the Municode.
The gentleman I talked to at the Planning Department, John Wilson, said that there is an ordinance coming before the council soon that has to do with community gardens and allowing those in residential areas to keep up to 8 chickens. Anyone can sign up to go in and speak before the council and support this issue. Or, if you are a registered voter in Oklahoma City, you can contact me and either sign my petition or I'll send you one of your own to take around to your friends and neighbors. Please do!

You might send me one of the forms. Send it to Larry Davison, 8203 Woodchuck Rd. Yukon, Okla. 73099. My address is Yukon, but I live in the OKC city limits. Also give me your cell phone number in the event I have a question. Thanks, Larry

Well, the deadline for submitting signatures was yesterday, that is one week before the meeting at City Hall on the 24th of this month. Please feel free to email me though at [email protected]

Here's what Ken Bryan with the Planning Commission wrote about that meeting:

"Thursday, 10/24 – Planning Commission meeting, 1:30pm, City Hall, 3rd floor. PC’s public hearing on the ordinance will include staff’s presentation followed by Planning Commission discussion and comments from interested citizens. This would be your opportunity to vocalize your support and raise any additional concerns you might have with the proposed ordinance. You can also email your comments to me. At this meeting, Planning Commission will forward a recommendation to City Council – either to approve or reject the ordinance. (Administrative note: Planning Commission serves as a recommending body for changes to the zoning ordinance – city council has the final say.)"

and more:

"City Hall is located at 200 N. Walker – the meeting is in Council Chambers on the 3rd floor. Park anywhere – there’s lots of on-street parking or the Sheridan-Walker parking garage (entrance is on the west side of Walker, half-way between Sheridan and Main)."

Exciting news for Oklahoma City! The city council passed a new ordinance on February 1, 2022, on the subject of urban chicken and quail. Vote passed 6-3. I just got confirmation from the city clerk that the new ordinance will go into effect on March 3, 2022.

From FreePressOKC.com:
"The ordinance prohibits rooster ownership but allows the ownership of six domestic hens or quail.

Coops must be behind the dwelling and must have ten feet of separation between the coop and the rear of the property, and no closer than five feet on the side property line, and at least 30 feet from any adjacent dwelling.

The birds must be kept inside the coop from dusk until dawn, and they cannot be kept inside the owner’s dwelling.

A new ordinance will not override existing covenants that prohibit ownership of fowl."

Anyone else in OKC super excited to join the backyard bird party?