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Middletown opens public review of proposal to allow backyard chickens
Summary
Township planning staff summarized broad public engagement showing strong support for allowing backyard chickens and proposed two draft approaches — a cautious 0.5‑acre permit or a tiered minimum‑lot system — with the matter slated for the Planning Commission on June 3.
Township planner Mister Ennis opened a policy discussion on whether to allow residential backyard chickens, telling the board that a multi‑platform community engagement effort produced 23,476 video views, 165 comments and 344 poll interactions and that 78% of poll respondents favored permitting chickens.
"When that was all said and done the total video reach across the platforms was 23,476 and a total of comments that were received was 165," Ennis said, summarizing the digital outreach. He presented two draft options: a cautious approach allowing chickens on lots of 0.5 acre in RA zoning districts with a low‑cost permit and no roosters; and a tiered option permitting a minimum of three hens on lots of at least 7,000 square feet with additional birds allowed as lot area increases.
Residents filled the public comment period with personal accounts and a mix of technical and quality‑of‑life arguments. Dr. James Robinson described raising chickens near his children during the pandemic and urged the board to "let people have their freedom back," noting the food security benefits he experienced when grocery supplies were constrained.
Other commenters highlighted education and pest control benefits, while some asked the board to ensure enforcement would not unduly strain staff. Ennis said the permit process would require basic coop descriptions, feed storage plans and a plan for sanitary maintenance, and that animal control would be involved in follow‑up enforcement when complaints occur. He also reminded the public that a zoning change must first go to the township Planning Commission and the Bucks County Planning Commission for review.
Planning Commission review was scheduled for June 3 at 7 p.m.; Ennis said the board's target is to return an ordinance for consideration at a future supervisors meeting, possibly in August. "You would have another bite at the apple," he told residents who urged equitable lot thresholds for areas like Levittown and the Gables.
