*The City of San Diego, California - Chicken and Gamebird / Fowl Law*

[MissusC]

From my understanding, you can have the 5 chickens anywhere in the yard, they just have to have adequate shelter etc. From there you can have x amount of chickens within 25 feet and x amount of chickens within another 50 feet. I am not certain of the amounts as I didn't write it down, but it was very favorable as far as I am concerned. As soon as I see anything else, I will post it.

Very interesting about the revote and mayor signing etc, dogdoc. Hopefully we won't have any problems. The turnout today was awesome. Not a single person there in opposition!

 

[MissusC]

Ok guys, here is a press release with the info...sorry it's so long:

NEWS: Coming Soon to a Yard Near You: Chickens, Goats, and Bees
by Todd Gloria on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 4:44pm

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release: January 31, 2012
Contact: Katie Keach, 619-236-6633

Coming Soon to a Yard Near You: Chickens, Goats, and Bees
City Council Approves Changes to Urban Agriculture Regulations

SAN DIEGO, CA (January 31, 2012) – The San Diego City Council today approved changes to local urban agriculture regulations, making it possible for more San Diegans to access locally-produced food. Councilmember Todd Gloria championed many of the changes, which grew out of discussions during the Council’s previous passage of an ordinance easing community garden rules.

“At a community coffee in 2009, a couple of North Park neighbors told me about the challenges they faced because they wanted to raise a couple chickens in their small yard for their eggs. I am incredibly proud that the common-sense measures we passed today will allow more San Diegans to keep small numbers of animals on their property and strengthen their connection to their food,” said Councilmember Todd Gloria.

The changes approved today include:

Farmers’ Markets:

• Daily Farmers’ Market Stands which sell produce (no value-added merchandise) could be permitted in all commercial zones. They could be no larger than 5-feet deep and 16-feet wide.
• Weekly Farmers’ Markets could be permitted as a limited use in all commercial zones (except commercial parking zone) and IL-3-1 Industrial Zone.
• Retail Farms could be permitted in all of the Commercial Regional, Commercial Office and Community Commercial Zones, as well as IL-3-1 Industrial Zone.

Chickens:

• Roosters prohibited.
• Up to 5 chickens allowed with no setback requirements from the onsite house. The coop must be located outside the required setbacks.
• Up to 15 chickens allowed with no setback from onsite house. The coop must be outside required setbacks, or at least 15 feet from property line, whichever is greater.
• Up to 25 chickens may be kept on premises, as long as the coop and outdoor enclosure are a minimum of 50 feet from any residential structure.
• The coop must be predator proof, watertight, ventilated, easily accessed and cleaned, with a minimum of 6 square feet per chicken.

Miniature Goats:

• Can be kept at single family homes and lots developed with single family homes.
• Miniature goats only. Must be de-horned. Males must be neutered.
• Shed must be located outside required setback, predator proof, watertight, ventilated, easily accessed and cleaned, with a minimum of 5 square feet per goat.
• Enclosure must have minimum 5-foot high fence, minimum pen area of 400 square feet, excluding shed.
• Goat products allowed for personal consumption only.

Bee Keeping:

• Allowed Citywide.
• For up to 2 hives: Must be located no closer than 30 feet from offsite residence and 50 feet from right of way.
• More than 2 hives: Must be located 600 feet from offsite residence and 100 feet from right of way.
• No more than 2 hives allowed per lot.
• Must have 6-foot screen unless located 8 feet above grade.
• Required compliance with recognized best practices for bee keeping.

Community Gardens:

• Allowed to sell produce in residential zones one day per week.
• Allowed with Neighborhood Use Permit in the IL-21 industrial zone.

Complete information about the City Council item 333 can be found online: http://dockets.sandiego.gov/sirepub/pubmtgframe.aspx?meetid=1306&doctype=Agenda.

Most of the changes are expected to go into effect in mid-March. The new regulations on Retail Farmers, Farmers’ Markets, and Community Gardens will be subject to Coastal Commission approval before they go into effect in the Coastal Overlay Zone.

###

 

[Chris in South Park]

Great work everyone!

To clarify, the new distance restriction will not apply at all to your own residence as it did before, in fact, you could put the coop right up against your own house if you wanted to..

However, the new distance restrictions are very minimal. Five hens may be kept if they are kept outside of the setback, which means kept just five feet from the actual property line. More hens may be kept the further they are from the property line.

Please also note these new changes are applicable only to lots of at least 5000 sq ft in size, which is actually the minimum size of nearly all our residential lots.

Also it is true that there are the procedural timelines already outlined until the new regs take effect, however it is also true that there is no real opposition to this, and it is extremely unlikely that anytrhing could derail this at this stage. Noone showed up today in opposition but there appeared to be over 150 supporters.

Also in speaking with a city rep after the hearing he informed me that as of now code compliance officers will suspend acting on any existing or new complaints.

Also great news from this same effort was the victory for the miniature goat and bee keepers and retail farms.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

AWESOME! You should post this on the San Diego thread here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/384942/hey-san-diego-lets-meetup-update-feb-2012/4610

 

[longday]

Awesome! Thanks to greater minds for the detailed description of the new rules.

LD

 

[desertdarlene]

What about ducks?

 

[shifra928]

I am in Chula Vista (Otay Ranch) but can't seem to find the official ordinance, accept for a 2008 post on this site. Does anybody know what it is? I am guess that the San Diego ordinances don't apply to us. Thanks!

 

[Chris in South Park]

Hi Darlene,
Ducks are not part of the reforms. We didn't have any of the BYC participants in this process raise the issue of ducks all last year - however I recall that at one of the city planning meetings back in September, one of the garden proponents out of curiosity mentioned ducks to city staff and staff didn't seem at all supportive or interested in the idea citing noise and messiness/sanitation issues.

 

[Chris in South Park]

Hello Shifra, welcome.

Since Chula Vista is a separate incorporated city, you are correct that San Diego's code does not apply to you.

Chula Vista Municipal Code section 6.04.080 is the law you are looking for - it allows you up to 12 hens but requires a minimum lot size of 7000 sq ft. That seems a rather large lot, certainly larger than most of San Diego's.

Here's a link to the code http://www.codepublishing.com/CA/ChulaVista/PDF/ChulaVista06.pdf

 

[desertdarlene]

Darn. I can see why. I assume the old requirements still apply to ducks, then? I.e 50ft setback, etc.