The Truesdale Board of Aldermen enacted long-anticipated changes to their ordinance regulating residential chicken ownership at their March 26 meeting. The decision was a long time coming as a number of citizens had spoken at recent meetings, both for, and against allowing the animals in residential areas. 

The major changes to the ordinance include the loosening of setback requirements, which some citizens felt were too stringent, and the introduction of fencing and inspection requirements. 

Chicken coops are now required to be in the backyard and at least 30 feet from any neighboring property line and at least 10 feet from the required fence. 

The previous setback requirements held that coops must be at least 25 feet from any property line and at least 100 feet from any neighboring residence. Under those restrictions there were very few lots in the city large enough to house chickens. 

The fence must be at least six feet tall and must be constructed with either wood or vinyl materials. 

There was also a change to the permitting requirements. Owners must procure a shed permit for their coop and a fence permit. Each permit is $25. 

Those permits replaced the previous $25 chicken permit. 

“The way this ordinance is written, they’re gonna have to put a lot of skin in the game to be legal with chickens,” said Alderman Mike Thomas. 

Philip Weinrich, a chicken owner who helped jumpstart the changes to the ordinance, noted that the required fence for chicken coops may be against some homeowners association regulations and land covenants. 

Thomas clarified in that instance, city ordinances supersede HOA regulations and land covenants. 

The maximum dimensions for coops, or sheds, are 10 by 12 feet, any larger coops would require a building permit instead, which is $300. 

Under the ordinance, owners are now required to submit to annual inspections of their coops to ensure they are in compliance. If owners fail to provide access for the inspection, their permits will be revoked. 

“That is a yearly inspection, and that you agree to that, and if at any time when we contact you in a year and say hey, it’s time for your inspection, we need to set a time for (city staff) and one of the police officers to come do it,” said Alderman Kari Hartley. 

Attendees at the meeting did raise questions about who would carry out inspections and whether it would be an added burden on city staff asking whether inspections would be handled by police officers, city staff or board members. 

“I would say it’s probably a mixture of all of that,” said Police Chief Casey Doyle. 

The changes also increased the city’s enforcement powers under the ordinance and owners who are out of compliance could be subject to a fine of up to $300 and up to 15 days in jail. 

There are a number of other provisions in the ordinance that remain the same. 

Residents are still allowed to have a maximum of six hens on their property and roosters are still prohibited. There are still requirements for the construction of coops as well and they cannot be constructed with any rotting or temporary material. 

Flocks owned on separate properties must also be constructed at least 30 feet from each other to prevent the comingling of the flocks. 

Owners are also required to prevent their chickens from causing any nuisance or unsanitary smells or waste and must prevent any waste from leaving their property as runoff. Food is required to be kept in a dry and secure container out of reach from insects and rodents. 

Residents are still required to obey all relevant homeowner’s association regulations and land covenants, although under state law they are not allowed to prohibit chickens. 

The city also reserves the right to revoke permits for chickens if they determine any of the provisions of the ordinance are not being followed at which point owners have 10 days to either dispose of the chickens or remove them from the city limits. 

Owners can appeal any revocation within five business days of their notification at which point the board can decide whether or not to reinstate their permits.