Committee backs zoning change to allow household hens, bars roosters

The Hawaii County Council Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Economic Development voted to amend and forward Bill 52 to the full council with a favorable recommendation, approving new zoning rules that would permit household egg production in certain residential districts while banning roosters and commercial sales of eggs.

Bill 52 would add a definition and rules for "household henrys" to Chapter 25 of the Hawaii County Code and permit them in single-family (RS), double-family (RD), multiple-family (RM) and residential-commercial mixed-use (RCX) districts subject to standards on enclosures, setbacks and flock size. The committee also voted to adopt language recommended by the planning director and planning commissions to tighten enclosure standards and direct residents to state and federal agencies for technical guidance.

The change was introduced by Council Member Kimball and presented to the committee by Planning Director Jeff Darrow and planner Tracy Camaro. Camaro summarized the proposed code language, saying a household henry would be “a parcel or lot where female chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, or other poultry are kept, raised, and maintained for the noncommercial production and consumption of eggs” and that the draft added Section 25-4-17…