Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Manassas council debates whether to allow backyard chickens; staff recommends animal-control permit approach and larger lot minimum
Summary
City staff presented options for allowing domestic backyard chickens and recommended using the animal-control code with an administrative permit; council members were divided and several said they did not want staff to proceed with drafting a final ordinance now.
City staff presented options for allowing domestic backyard chickens in Manassas and recommended regulatory language and administrative processes if council wants to proceed. Council discussion produced mixed views, and several members indicated they did not want staff to advance the matter further at this time.
Staff explained chickens are currently permitted under the animal-control ordinance only if coops are at least 250 feet from any occupied residence — a rule that effectively bans chickens in the city. Staff outlined three paths: (A) resurrect a zoning-text amendment (minimum-lot size options were 10,000 or 20,000 square feet or an acre), (B) adopt a…
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
