North Attleboro Town Council adopts updated backyard-chicken bylaw, 8-0

The North Attleboro Town Council voted 8-0 on March 23 to approve measure 2026-042, an amendment to Chapter 108, Section 108-4 of the town bylaws that modernizes rules for backyard chicken keeping.

Council members said the new bylaw balances property-use rights with public-health and nuisance concerns. A Bylaw Subcommittee member, summarizing the changes, said the measure will "allow more people to have chickens, but also have take care of the concerns of public health and rodent control and that sort of thing." The speaker described a new licensing regime requiring an initial inspection by the animal control officer and the health agent and a pre-inspection meeting to confirm a site is appropriate.

Another council member credited Animal Control staff, saying the "immense work that Emery Fleming and Stephanie from the Animal Control Office" contributed to drafting the bylaw. The council said the text sets clear lot-size limits, secures feed storage, requires waste-management plans, and explicitly prohibits roosters except in R40 agricultural districts where they are already allowed.

At the close of the discussion a council member said, "Seems anti-climactic, but I move to approve measure 2026-042." The presiding officer called the vote; the clerk announced the motion passed, "Passes 8-0." The record does not list individual roll-call votes or an effective date.

Supporters said the bylaw results from multiple public meetings and incorporated residents' concerns about odor, noise, animal welfare and rodents. Council members encouraged residents who plan to keep chickens to participate in the licensing process so the town can track coops and ensure compliance.

The council did not specify an implementation timeline or an effective date during the hearing; those details were not available in the meeting record.