During Monday’s Council meeting, Brooksville City Council voted 4-1 to allow for chicken ownership on residential property, as long as the chickens are female and penned.
Council Member Thomas Bronson opposed the ordinance on the basis that chickens should not be confined to coops. Bronson said, “I think it’s cruel to just leave the animal in a cage just for egg purposes. They need to roam. (An owner) can clip their wings, and they can’t cross over (to neighboring yards) if you have a fence.”
On April 1 of this year, the Council was addressed by a local resident to investigate the ownership of chickens on residential property. It was found that chickens are permitted on properties of 10 acres or more, and according to City Planner Steve Gouldman, that “pretty much knocks out everyone that doesn’t have an agriculturally zoned property, and there are only three of those in the City, and one is owned by the City.”
Gouldman presented the proposed Ordinance revision, allowing the keeping of chickens on any residential property containing either a single-family or two-family home. A limit of five hens or pullets (female chickens under 1 year of age) will be allowed in coops. Roosters are prohibited.
Hens and pullets must be housed in fully-enclosed coops kept in backyards, ten feet away from side and rear lots. Minimum size for coops must be four square feet per chicken, and a minimum pen area of 100 square feet, and a maximum of 6 feet in height.
Also included in the ordinance is that chickens cannot be slaughtered on the property, and the sale of eggs is prohibited.
A $120 special-use permit will be required. A first violation of the ordinance will result in a 30-day period to cure the violation, followed by a $50 fine if the violation persists. Further non-compliance will be escalated to the Special Magistrate, who will determine further steps.
Council Member David Bailey is in favor of the permit requirement, based on the administrative tasks the City will undertake with the adoption of the new ordinance. “This is a business first. A permit is the right thing to do, because an inspector has to go out and inspect the coop … and if there’s an issue … we can’t continue to do free services.”
Bronson disagrees with initial inspection of a new coop, and is in favor of the City responding to issues as they arise. “(Coops) should only be inspected if a neighbor has a complaint.” After dialog with Bailey, Bronson said, “(Owners) should be able to build whatever size coop they want in their own yard.”
“But this is why we’re here,” Bailey said, “To stop people from doing unpermitted things. You can’t just build what you want on a piece of property. You have to get a permit. That (rule is) everywhere.”
Bronson countered, “I get it for most things, but this is housing for a chicken, not a human being … you should be able to put up a (structure) wherever you can to house a chicken.”
This was the first reading of the Public Ordinance 977, the second reading and final vote will be held on September 16, 2024.
