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Board denies request for backyard chickens in residential district
Summary
A petition by Christopher Wilson to keep backyard hens in a residential area was denied; the board cited county precedent and private covenants, and members emphasized consistency with prior denials in similar residential settings.
The Kosciusko County board voted to deny a petition by Christopher Wilson seeking permission to keep chickens in a residential district.
Wilson presented examples from other Indiana cities that permit backyard hens and said he had gathered neighbor signatures and an online petition, though he acknowledged many online signatures came from outside the immediate area. He described proposed containment measures and a coop and characterized the use as an accessory to the residence, akin to a garden or shed.
Board members and staff reviewed zoning ordinance language and private covenants; multiple board members noted prior board decisions denying similar residential chicken petitions and emphasized a county approach that reserves residential districts for residential uses rather than livestock. The board closed the public hearing, debated consistency and precedent, and voted to deny the request.
