Portland City Council approves first reading of ordinance limiting livestock, raises chicken cap to 10

The Portland City Council voted 4–3 on April 6 to pass Ordinance 2026-1 on its first reading, which would prohibit harboring certain livestock within the city and, as discussed at the meeting, include farm livestock while raising the city limit for backyard chickens to 10.

The measure was moved by Council member Ashley Hilfiker and seconded by Council member Ron May. Council members Ron May, Ashley Hilfiker, Mike Aker and Dave Golden voted in favor; Kent McClung, Matt Goldsworthy and Michele Brewster voted against the first reading. An earlier motion by May to table the ordinance failed for lack of a second.

Council discussion leading to the vote included direction to reintroduce language restoring farm livestock from an earlier draft and to increase the permitted number of chickens from the prior draft. No final ordinance text was read into the record at the April 6 meeting; council set the ordinance to proceed following the successful first-reading vote.

The council did not record a public comment period specific to the ordinance on the minutes, and no ordinance amendments beyond the described changes were adopted during the April 6 session. The ordinance will return to council at a later meeting (the minutes indicate additional consideration and an April 20 meeting was referenced earlier in discussion).

The first-reading outcome is a procedural step under Portland’s ordinance process; additional readings or procedural steps will be required for final adoption.