I am interested in raising backyard chickens, but I only have a little over a 20,000 square ft lot size in a RR zoned area. I contacted the Harford County zoning office, and they confirmed that 2 acres is the minimum lot size for chickens. That is very disappointing given how nearly all other surrounding counties have revisited their laws and relaxed the regulations. I have tried contacting council members in the past couple of weeks with no success (probably because this is election season).Thanks for the reply.
I am zoned RR but, it looks like I would still be subject to the 2-acre minimum as you mentioned per the code.
I saw this article and it made me question whether the 2-acre minimum applied to owning 5 or less chickens (which is all that I would want). See quote from the article as well as link to the article below. I've also emailed Planning and Zoning to check. Will update when I receive a reply.
"Ducks are considered livestock, prompting the Nowakowskis to apply for a variance after the county Planning Department told them their eight ducks were a violation but they could keep up to five as pets and be in conformance with past interpretations of the zoning law. They appealed, not wanting to have to decide to cull their small flock, Wendy Nowakowski said in a March interview."
http://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/harford/aegis/ph-ag-bel-air-ducks-update-0911-20150910-story.html#:~:text=A Bel Air area couple that is fighting,their case before the County Council Tuesday night.