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Planning & Zoning recommends allowing up to four backyard hens as conditional use; council requests hearings
Summary
The planning commission recommended allowing up to four hens per single‑family lot as a conditional use (enclosed coops, no front‑yard coops, setback limits); councilors said they want more public input and legal cleanup of non‑zoning code before adoption.
Planning & Zoning recommended that the council permit backyard hens (the draft code uses 'chickens' but the planners suggested 'hens') as a conditional use in residential zones with the following zoning conditions: principal dwelling must be single‑family detached, coops and runs cannot project into minimum yard setbacks, up to four hens per dwelling, coops/runs not permitted in front yards, and coops/runs must be fully enclosed.
Sarah noted that zoning approval alone would not be sufficient because non‑zoning code sections currently restrict chickens; councilors asked for public hearings and further study given the town‑wide consequences and the strong views voiced by some residents and HOAs. No ordinance vote took place; staff suggested the change could be scheduled alongside other code updates such as sign code revisions.
