Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee asks administration for report on rules for backyard hens, holds zoning petitions
Summary
After hearing petitions to allow egg‑laying hens in residential areas, the economic development committee voted to hold one petition and file the duplicate petition while directing the administration to prepare a report on regulatory options, enforcement, and best practices from other Massachusetts cities.
The Worcester City Standing Committee on Economic Development took up two related petitions seeking to permit residents to keep egg‑laying chickens: a petition to amend the zoning ordinance to allow chickens in certain residential zones and a separate petition asking the council to create a permitting process for hens.
Committee members reviewed a history of planning board hearings dating back to 2021. The planning board has repeatedly cited insufficient detail in early proposals, but in 2022 and again in 2025 recommended that the council direct the administration to draft a city ordinance with specific regulatory controls. Peter Dunn, the city’s chief development officer, summarized that the planning board’s 2021 vote denied the initial…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
