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Mauldin committee discusses allowing micro‑livestock and beekeeping; staff to draft ordinance
Summary
Committee members discussed whether to permit chickens and beekeeping in residential areas, directed staff to draft potential standards, and noted that homeowner association rules would still prevail.
Members of the Business Development Services Committee on April 7 discussed whether to add "micro livestock" (primarily backyard chickens) and beekeeping to the city code. The committee asked staff to draft potential ordinance language and return with recommendations that would be enforceable by code but that would not override private homeowner association covenants.
Planning staff said current ordinances are largely silent on backyard chickens and bees, and that other nearby municipalities use a mix of lot‑size limits and basic health/safety standards. Committee members said they frequently receive inquiries from residents and preferred creating clear rules rather than leaving enforcement to informal practice or variance claims.
During discussion, members raised several recurring concerns: noise (especially roosters), parking and nuisance complaints, lot-size thresholds, and whether HOAs would supersede city allowances. Staff noted most HOAs contain covenants that prohibit livestock. The committee directed staff to prepare draft language — likely as an amendment to the animal control ordinance — that would include minimum lot sizes or zoning districts where micro‑livestock and hives would be allowed, and basic setbacks or hive‑distance standards to neighboring properties. Anderson's regulations were mentioned as a clear example staff could adapt.
No ordinance was proposed or voted on; this item was a direction to staff to develop draft language for future committee consideration.
