Wellington FL

[freedom_chickens]

My wife really wants chickens and we live in the same area. I scoured the codes for an answer and I cant find one. I called code enforcement and they said you cant have them in residential zoned areas other that some places in sugar pond manor. The person referenced:
https://library.municode.com/fl/wel...Id=PTIICOOR_CH38PARE_ARTIIIRE_DIV1GE_S38-66AN

Sec. 38-66. - Animals.

(a)
No person shall molest, harm, frighten, kill, net, trap, snare, hunt, chase, shoot or throw or propel, by any means, missiles at any wildlife creature, be it animal, bird or reptile roaming free about a park or in captivity in a zoo cage, nor shall any person remove or possess the young of any wild animal, or the nest or eggs of any reptile or bird, or collect, remove, possess, give away, sell or offer to sell, buy or offer to buy, or accept as a gift any specimen, dead or alive, of any of the group of tree snails.
But this section is very unclear but says nothing at about backyard chickens. it is talking about wild animals. The man on the phone said that it would be interpreted to mean that you cant have backyard chickens.

Further research lead me to a table about zoning useage. Table 6.4.1 found here:
https://library.municode.com/fl/wel...pment_code?nodeId=ART6ZODI_CH4USREDE_S6.4.1GE

Most areas other than agricultural zoned areas are marked with a "C" for Conditional use.

Definition from sec 6.4.2
Conditional use. Uses identified in a particular district column with a "C" are "conditional uses" and shall be permitted in such district only if they are approved by the Village Council in accordance with the procedures and standards of Section 5.4.4 (Conditional uses), subject to such supplementary use standards as may be indicated in the "Note" column, and the other standards of this Code. Prior to receipt of a Certificate of Occupancy, all required permits from affected regulatory agencies must be obtained and the use must operate in accordance with those permits.

So it sounds like I need permission from my village council according to section 5.4.4. sure, but there is no published 5.4.4! It ends at sec. 5.3.11.5.

Ill leave an update if we are able to figure out approval.

Did you ever get approval or find out if backyard chickens are allowed in wellington?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I would really like to get a few chickens but have come across conflicting answers. I live in Lakeside Shores off of Forest Hill Blvd. if there is anyone in the area that knows the answer to this question please let me know.

Step One - Figure out your Zoning. County Tax Collector Website will let you know how you are Zoned.

Step Two - go to your Code of Ordinances. Do some research.

I'm on a cell phone for internet with one bar in the middle of nowhere, but its raining, and I'm bored and unable to work outside, as I should be. Will see what I can do to help. Particularly as the person who directed you to 38.66 is either horribly mistaken, stupid, on just bullshitting you.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

OK, first I located your subdivision.

Then I picked a random address in it, and fed it into your county property appraiser's website. Obviously, you can do this with your own address, but it looks like the addresses are similarly zoned. Rather atypically, your tax appraiser's property summary doesn't include zoning. So, I searched again for Wellington Zoning Map, which takes me to an interactive GIS map. I hate this, takes forever to load on my cell phone.


That tells me you are zoned EOZD and Wellington PUD

and the future use map has you at 1.0-3.0 du/acre - zone "RS" (except the portion at lower left, the multi-family homes with use at 5.0-8.0 du/acre - zone RM).

With than info, I can turn to your Zoning Ordinances for permitted and conditional uses.

Two things jump out at me.

One)
Sec. 14-1. - Adoption of county animal regulation ordinance.

The provisions of chapter 4, entitled "Animals" of the Palm Beach County Code of Ordinances, entitled the "Palm Beach County Animal Regulation Ordinance of 1989," are hereby adopted and incorporated into this chapter by reference in this section.
(Ord. No. 96-13, § 1, 5-28-96)

Two)
Your code is laid out VERY badly. Not at all user friendly. So I do a key word search for the usual suspects - Poultry, Chicken, etc. That takes me to your "Unified Land and Development Code".

Chicken ("fowl") has just one hit, an exception allowing the Parks Department owned animals and fowl onto Parks & Rec property. "Poultry" also has just one hit - in the definition of Agriculture, Chapter 2, Section 3.2.2:

"Agriculture" means farming to raise or produce trees, shrubs, vines, foliage and cereal plants and all other plants and plant parts including cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, fruit, vegetables, roots, bulbs, seeds, wood, lumber and all products made from them unless excluded by the rules of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and farming to raise or produce any animal or insect useful to humans including but not limited to any product derived therefrom. This shall include but is not limited to horticulture, floriculture, viticulture, forestry, dairy, livestock, poultry, apiculture, pisciculture for the production of tropical fish, aquaculture, algaculture, sod farming and wholesale nurseries. It may also include limited marketing on the site for farm products and by-products and attendant accessory uses including processing activities. Agriculture is inclusive of bona fide agriculture pursuant to F.S. § 604.50, farm operations and production pursuant to F.S. §§ 570.02(1), 581.011(27), 823.14(3)(b) and 823.14(3)(c) and agritourism pursuant to F.S. § 570.86.

From experience, I already know this is going to be a problem for you, because "Agriculture" is traditionally an inconsistent use with Single Family Residential zoning, but as I'm laying out the process to help others in the future, I turn to your actual Zoning for the final say.

Turning to the Chart at Section 6.2.1 for Permitted and Conditional Uses, I find Aviculture (the raising and breeding of birds), Bona fide Agriculture, Livestock Raising, and the construction of Barns/Stables are neither permitted nor conditionally approved in zones RS or RM.

In other words, No chickens. or ducks. or geese. or other avians unless the Palm Beach County Ordinance Chapter 4 "Animals" which your City incorporated by reference gives you an out.

"Livestock shall include all animals of the equine (horse, mule, etc.), bovine (cattle), porcine (swine), caprine (goats), ovine (sheep) and domesticated poultry."

No outs there. You are out of luck. While the county DOES permit chickens, and ended a crack down on them last decade, its only if a few areas zoned "rural". Wellington is not among them.


Sorry for the bad news.