Walnut Creek California Chicken Ordinance
| Are Chickens Allowed in this location | Yes |
| Max Chickens Allowed | 3-ZONING ORDINANCES APPLY |
| Roosters Allowed | Yes |
| Permit Required | Yes |
| Coop Restrictions | Sanitation, proximity, noise, zoning, building restrictions apply. |
| City/Organization Contact name | City Clerk\'s Office 1666 North Main Street, 3rd Floor Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Contact Information: Phone: (925) 943-5818 Fax: (925) 943-5897 |
| Additional Information | Differing rules based on lot size: 1. Up to three animals, including poultry (except roosters), domestic, or exotic animals, as defined by this Chapter, may be kept as household pets. Livestock and roosters are not permitted to be kept as household pets. B. Livestock and Poultry: Livestock and poultry, as defined in this Title, shall be permitted in the R-40 District subject to the following conditions. In the R-8, R-8.5, R-10, R-12, R-15, and R-20 Districts livestock and poultry are conditionally permitted with the granting of a Minor Use Permit, subject to the following conditions: 1. No livestock or poultry shall be kept or maintained on any parcel of real property under one ownership, which contains less than 40,000 square feet, unless the parcel is immediately adjacent to public open space, and contains at least 20,000 square feet. Public open space includes any land owned by a public agency for the purpose of maintaining open space, any land designated open space on the General Plan, or a freeway or railroad right-of-way; 2. The number of livestock kept or maintained on any parcel of real property, under one ownership, shall not exceed one for each twenty thousand square feet (20,000) of land contained in such parcel; 3. On any parcel of land upon which livestock is kept or maintained, there shall be erected a barn, stable or similar building, which shall be located not closer than one hundred feet to any public street nor closer than fifty feet to any interior lot line. A chicken coop or similar poultry enclosure may be constructed but shall be subject to the same setback requirements as a barn, stable or similar building; 4. No fence, corral, chicken coop, or similar enclosure shall be located within fifteen feet of any side or rear property line or within one hundred feet of any front property line; 5. No barn, stable, fence, corral, chicken coop, or other enclosure for the keeping of livestock or poultry shall be located within fifty feet of any building used for human habitation; 6. The number of livestock allowed may be increased above the maximum of 1 per 20,000 square feet in the granting of a minor use permit if a finding is made that the site is suitable and can support the additional livestock without creating nuisance problems for surrounding residential property. 7. Those distances as specified in paragraphs 4. and 5. and 6. of this subsection may be reduced or waived in the granting of a Minor Use Permit upon the finding that such distances are not necessary for the protection of neighboring residences; 8. The keeping of livestock and poultry shall be accessory to the residential use of the property; 9. A Minor Use Permit granted for the purpose of allowing livestock and poultry may be revoked if: a. Any of the conditions of the Minor Use Permit are not strictly adhered to, or b. Upon the finding that the lands surrounding the property subject to a Minor Use Permit have developed into urban uses to the degree that keeping livestock or poultry could be detrimental to the peaceful enjoyment of property or improvements in the neighborhood. In the event a Minor Use Permit is revoked only because of urban development as described above, the effective date to remove livestock or poultry shall be not less than one year following the date the Minor Use Permit is revoked. |
| Link for more Information | http://www.codepublishing.com/ca/walnutcreek/ |
| Information Last Updated | 2010-04-21 10:30:45 |
NOTE: This information was submitted by a member of our chicken forum. Please make sure to double check that this information is accurate before you proceed with raising chickens. Learn more about local chicken laws and ordinances.
