GREAT NEWS in Montgomery County, MD!

[JJ--]

As the law currently stands, the coop must be 100 feet from your neighbor's house as a coop is considered an aviary under zoning laws. We have been working with county council and executive staff since April to get this issue corrected. We are meeting with them on Friday for hopefully the last time to get the law changed or an opinion on coops not being considered an aviary. You can look up this law under the R-60 zoning ordinance for an accessory building.

 

[JJ--]

However, if you have a portable
Coop on wheels, then this does not count as an accessory building and you can park it wherever. MoCo does not limit chickens by the numbers and you can check with animal control office that issues dog permits, but to my knowledge there are no permits for having chickens as pets. I think Chevy Chase may be its own city so make sure you don't have any law issues there.

 

[liagabyan]

Thank you for the two posts. Good luck on Friday. Would you be able to update the discussion on the outcome of the meeting and resources we might be able to consult after the meeting, please?

 

[PastaChickenBoo]

I live in Bethesda - is it legal to keep chickens here?

 

[Big Bubba]

PastaChickenBoo - there are others who can better answer your question than me. My basic understanding is that it depends. As I understand it there is nothing illegal about having chickens. The problem lies with having a coop. The coop needs to be 100 feet (I'm not sure about the actual distance) away from the neighbor's house. And, believe me, I'm very much simplifying here.

With that said, if you want to have chickens and are unsure if it is legal, get a buy in from your neighbors. I live in DTSS and by what I've read I'm not legal. However, I asked all my neighbors and none had an objection. In fact, they love being able to look out and see chickens and some them throw food out for them. Complaints from neighbors, legal or not, will not go well.

Animal control, I don't believe, actively go out and try to enforce the rules unless there is a complaint. I had animal control come out for a raccoon once and they clearly saw my setup. They didn't say one thing about the chickens and, instead, blamed me for the raccoon because of the wild bird feeder. While you may not be so lucky on getting such an uneducated animal control officer some people have complained about overzealous officers.

 

[ShannonO]

I am trying to find out whether it is against code to house a rooster in my coop/run. Mine is set back 100' from dwellings and 25' from setbacks.

I am unclear whether the "no roosters" clause refers only to pet keeping in closer quarters, I believe I am zoned R90?

 

[sean5217]

I am living in RE-2 zone, montgomery county and I wonder if I keep one rooster in my back yard. Thanks!

 

[ewerbos]

I am pretty sure it is ok; I am also in the RE-2 zone and we have one. I checked the recent version of the Montgomery County code at http://library.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm&vid=amlegal:montgomeryco_md_mc and it looks like the only explicit mention of roosters is under "Urban Farming", which does not apply to RE-2. RE-2 has "Farming" as a "Permitted" use, which includes poultry. You just have to obey the 100' from neighbors and 25' from property line rules.

 

[sean5217]

I am pretty sure it is ok; I am also in the RE-2 zone and we have one. I checked the recent version of the Montgomery County code at http://library.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm&vid=amlegal:montgomeryco_md_mc and it looks like the only explicit mention of roosters is under "Urban Farming", which does not apply to RE-2. RE-2 has "Farming" as a "Permitted" use, which includes poultry. You just have to obey the 100' from neighbors and 25' from property line rules.

Thanks!

 

[Urchickchic]

Any news about Montgomery County MD chicken ordinances?