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Committee forwards household‑hen bill to planning commissions; duplicate measure withdrawn
Summary
Hawaii County committee voted to send Bill 52 (allowing hens for household egg production in certain residential zones) to the planning commissions for review and accepted the withdrawal of a similar Bill 53. The committee debated allowable counts, neighbor impacts and enforcement before the referral vote.
The Hawaii County Council Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Economic Development on May 20, 2025, voted to forward Bill 52—permitting hens for household egg production in specified residential zoning districts—to the planning commissions for review. A similar measure, Bill 53, was withdrawn during the meeting.
Why it matters: The referral starts a formal planning commission review of zoning and regulatory details for backyard hens on the Big Island. Proponents said the changes promote food resilience and allow residents to produce eggs for household use; opponents and some council members urged care about nuisance impacts and limits.
Bill 52, introduced by Councilmember Heather Kimball, would allow hens (female chickens) in single‑, double‑family and certain multifamily and mixed‑use residential zoning subject to conditions in the code. The draft specifies hens only (no roosters) and noncommercial production; the bill text discussed during the meeting includes a formula for allowable numbers: two hens for the first 3,000 square feet of lot area plus one additional hen for each additional 1,000 square feet. Several councilmembers and speakers said the draft could benefit from a numeric cap to avoid very large flocks on large parcels.
Public testimony included residents urging allowance of hens for food security and resilience. Kalei Kailikini and Chris Hirose testified in favor of allowing household hens, with Hirose framing hens as a component of local food security. Councilmembers debated neighborhood impacts: Councilmember Fresh Onishi and others cautioned that in some neighborhoods animals have caused conflicts, and that coops and enclosure standards and limits need clarity to avoid nuisance complaints.
There was a procedural decision during the meeting: Councilmember Matt Kaniele Kleinfelder moved to withdraw Bill 53 (a similar proposal he had filed) after concurrence that the two bills overlapped; Kleinfelder later confirmed he would withdraw his bill so planning commissions would consider a single proposal. The committee then voted to forward Bill 52 to the planning commissions for review. The roll call for that referral was recorded as eight ayes and one no (Councilmember Fresh Onishi voted no).
Next steps: Bill 52 will be docketed for review by the Windward and Leeward planning commissions (as applicable) for public hearings and recommendations back to the council. Planning staff and councilmembers indicated the commissions will consider details such as a cap on permitted hens, enforcement, coop standards and impacts on neighbors before the commission returns a recommendation to the council.
