Council adopts backyard hens ordinance 4–1; staff to refine application language

The Zephyrhills City Council on July 28 adopted an amendment to the city code to allow backyard hens in specified residential districts, approving the ordinance on second reading by a 4–1 vote.

Brad Bush, a resident and longtime backyard‑hen advocate, spoke in favor of the ordinance during the public hearing and told council he supported the draft as “about as bulletproof as anything can get.” Council members discussed application wording and enforcement details before voting. Councilmembers asked staff to revise the application to explicitly list the allowed zoning districts (ER, R‑1, R‑2 and R‑3) and to clarify that the ordinance permits hens only, with roosters expressly prohibited. Staff confirmed they will update the application and anticipate returning any necessary clarifications to council.

The ordinance establishes standards for keeping hens, limits the number of hens to a maximum of five per property, and bans roosters. Council discussed enforcement mechanisms and the application as documentation that operators understand the rules; staff said the application will be kept on file to assist code enforcement.

The ordinance passed on its second reading with four votes in favor and one opposed. Council members said they expected to revisit the ordinance if operational issues emerged once the new rules were in effect.