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Council pauses proposed expansion of backyard-chickens rules, asks staff for comparables and limits
Summary
National City councilmembers continued discussion of a proposed municipal-code change to allow more hen chickens on single-family properties, directing staff to return with comparative rules from other cities, recommended lot-size thresholds and numeric limits before taking a final vote.
The National City City Council continued a proposed amendment to municipal code section 8.32.015, which would increase the number of hen chickens allowed on single-family residential properties, and directed staff to return with comparables and policy options.
Why it matters: The proposal would alter zoning and animal-keeping rules that affect neighborhood character, public health, nuisance complaints and code enforcement workload. The council asked for additional analysis before deciding whether to restore a previous allowance of up to 12 chickens or land a more moderate cap.
What happened at the hearing
Martin Reeder, assistant director of community development, described the proposed ordinance language: removing the 20,000-square-foot lot-size restriction and allowing up to 12 hens on single-family residential properties while continuing to prohibit roosters. He noted roosters had been prohibited previously and would remain so.
Public commenters included residents who said they keep chickens and value fresh eggs and local food independence, and others who said prior experience with free-ranging animals and poorly maintained coops led to code-enforcement complaints. Doyle Morrison, a resident who said he keeps chickens, emphasized humane siting and run size: "The size of the property isn't as important as that the area designated for the chickens be humane," he said.
Council direction
Councilmembers asked staff to gather municipal comparables and to come back with options on numeric caps, lot-size thresholds that fit National City's parcel sizes and enforcement mechanisms. Vice Mayor Bush and others expressed support for urban agriculture but asked for a moderated numeric limit between 4 and 12 chickens; one councilmember suggested six.
Outcome
The council unanimously continued the item to its second meeting in August and directed staff to deliver research on other urban cities' rules and recommended ordinance language.
Provenance (transcript spans)
Topic intro: s=6576.5303 (Martin Reeder introduction) Topic finish: s=8498.69 (motion to continue; unanimous approval)
