Planning Board recommends changing 'chicken' rules to 'hens' and adjusts permit threshold

The Cumberland Planning Board voted to recommend amendments to the town’s domesticated-chickens ordinance that staff characterized as largely housekeeping to reflect state rules and clarify local permitting.

Bridgette presented the draft amendments and said she drew language from neighboring municipalities and state law. Board members debated whether the code should use the term "chicken" to match state language or use "hen" to help clarify that roosters are not permitted. Bridgette noted the state text sometimes uses "chicken" and then defines chickens as female domesticated birds.

Members also discussed permit and lot-size thresholds. Under the current code, lots under 2 acres require a permit and may keep up to six chickens; the proposed redline referenced 1 acre in one subsection, creating a gap in the code. Board members concluded the permitting breakpoint should be consistent. As a result the board opted to change references so that the limit on six hens applies to lots under 2 acres and to retain an annual permit requirement for lots under 2 acres.

One board member urged clarity about larger lots and commercial versus domesticated farming: "At a certain number of hens, it becomes then you're farming them, and they're not domesticated for personal use," Bridgette said, and the board agreed that additional language about commercial operations or licensing could be addressed separately.

The motion to recommend the amendments as discussed — changing "chickens" to "hens" and moving the lot-size breakpoint to 2 acres — was made and seconded; the board voted 5–1 in favor.