Can i have chickens in sedro woolley wa, skagit county

[cristal87]

i live in sedro woolley wa. i cant find wether i can have chickens or not. i dont live in city limits.

 

[Jessica Rabbit]

This is all I could find

http://www.codepublishing.com/wa/sedrowoolley/

31. “Low-intensity agriculture” means the production, raising or keeping of any form of crops, ornamental plants or animals; provided, that any animal, excluding household pets such as dogs and cats, such as horses, cattle, hogs, pigs, goats, sheep, bovine animals, chickens, or any other animals, poultry or fowl, shall not be raised, kept or maintained on a lot or ownership of less than forty thousand square feet.


here is the conversion into acreage: 40 000 square foot = 0.918 273 645 55 acre

 

[eco2pia]

I live in Sedro-Woolley, IN city limits, and I have chickens on less than an acre, about .15ac in fact. I haven't been able to find the law quoted above, anywhere.

I know this is an old thread but this is all I can currently find in the city codes on their web site. I have talked to the code enforcement officer and gotten the answer that if the neighbors don't complain, they don't care, but dealing with a few disputes on other topics, I can say that even when there is a violation and neighbors do complain, no one is really interested in "enforcing" anything. Give your neighbors some eggs, don't keep roosters, keep 'em in your own yard. You'll be fine. And doing better than 50% of the dog owners in this town.

6.12.040 Maintaining offensive conditions—At large.
It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to maintain any stable, pen, lot, place, or premises in which any horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, mink, fox, chinchilla, or any other animals, or in which any chickens, ducks, or other fowl or poultry may be confined or kept in such manner as to be nauseous, foul, or offensive to any community, neighbor, family, or person, or to allow such animals to roam at large within the city limits. (Ord. 828 § 4, 1976)

And if anyone can give me the code number of the quote about the acreage, I would really appreciate it.

Also, if the OP doesn't live in city limits, Sedro-Woolley codes don't apply, it is then up to the county. Then your concern would be setbacks from water ways and raparian zones and stuff.

 

[theFox]

Quote:
The quote above is from the definitions section of Chapter 17 which is the zoning regulations, it basically further restricts the keeping of chickens even in zones where "low intensity agriculture" is permitted unless your lot is at least 40,000 square feet in size. Read the permitted uses in the various zones (these are also in chapter 17).

 

[eco2pia]

Ah, great, so I have been mis-informed by people in both city hall and the police department.

Sigh, typical around here.

They, and I, completly mis-interpreted that to mean "chickens allowed", by missing the section in zoning and going straight to animals....so now I have an illegal flock in plain sight. Just great. I need to move. My motivation just doubled. Tripled, actually. I hate the suburbs anyway.

Thanks for telling me, I was going to put in an order for 2 ducks soon, too.

 

[tvaughn]

I am in Big Lake, out of city limits. We and our neighbors have had chickens for years. I am also a teacher in Mount Vernon and have checked into getting chickens at the school. I was told pretty much the same thing you were, but when I called the WSU Extension they cited the policies (that I of course don't have in front of me) suggesting that the local authorities are not up on the actual laws/policies. My point is, I'd call the Washington State Extension office.

 

[nutritionsprite]

My husband and I were looking into purchasing a home in Sedro Woolley that is within city limits, and like you, I want to have a small coop of chickens in my backyard. I know this post is fairly old, but I thought I would let you know what I found. While trying to find out whether they were permitted or not, I ran across the minutes for a city council meeting back in 2011. Here is the link for the minutes from that meeting: http://www.ci.sedro-woolley.wa.us/CityCouncil/documents/minutes/2011/20110209_council_minutes.pdf

This is an excerpt from the minutes:

Councilmember Sandström moved to adopt Ordinance No. 1697-11 An Ordinance
amending the Sedro-Woolley Municipal Code to allow for the keeping of chickens,
ducks, bees and small non-hoofed animals with the addition of allowing two bee hives
per lot and 10 foot side yard setbacks for any pens, shelters or sheds. Seconded by
Councilmember Meamber.

The motion passed, and if I read that correctly, it would mean that you are allowed to keep chickens in the city of Sedro-Woolley. Hope that may help you.

 

[blythspirit]

Yes you can have 3 chickens or ducks, but no roosters, in a normal sized lot in Sedro-Woolley more if you have an additional 1000 feet per added hen/duck. You cannot have them within 10 feet of your property line, you cannot cause foul odors or attract vermin, flies, or pests that interfere with your neighbors rights to have a smell-pest-free yard/area of their own. I have 4 hens because I live on a double lot, I keep them spotless, and I dispose of all droppings in a way as to not cause odors or flies. I don't want to lose my rights, or cause others to lose their rights to have hens. I am also putting in bee hives this next year. This year I am studying for my beekeepers license (apprentice level at this point) I am allowed to have them here too. Long live the 'new-old' idea that we can make and grow our own, and share our extras for something others have in excess and we have none. Love our little country-town city!

 

[loveanimalsandchicks]

Cannot agree more - Long live the 'new-old' idea. I'm still new to this though, learning. I'm in Sedro-Woolley, not in the city limit (Alger mt area), and could not find the specific rule in the area (I probably missed). What is the law outside of city limit?