The Harrah City Council on July 17 discussed proposed amendments to city code pertaining to backyard chickens and poultry in planning and zoning provisions, and tabled the ordinance for rework to include clearer standards.
Under agenda item 3(e)–(f), the council reviewed Ordinance No. 2025-8, which would amend Section 4-114 related to chicken coops and keeping chickens, and Ordinance No. 2025-9, which would amend multiple planning and zoning sections to allow poultry and fowl.
Council discussion focused on the need for “reasonable standards” to be spelled out in the ordinance. Vice Mayor Steve Scalzo specifically recommended using standards from other Oklahoma cities, naming Stillwater and Norman as examples. Councilmembers discussed limiting the types of fowl that would be permitted.
The minutes record that the item was tabled so the ordinance language can be reworked to include more specific requirements for chicken coops; no vote count or ordinance adoption was recorded because the item was deferred for revision.
No specific regulatory language, setbacks, flock-size limits, permit fees, or enforcement mechanisms were recorded in the meeting minutes. The transcript does not record any public comment on the item nor provide an adoption timeline.
The council will consider a revised draft at a future meeting; the minutes do not specify a date for reintroduction or the precise edits requested beyond the direction to include more requirements and limits on types of fowl.