McCandless residents may soon be able to keep chickens in their backyards.

Nearly a year after first being petitioned by residents interested in having chickens on their properties, council has introduced an ordinance outlining the rules for raising fowl.

“We’ve had a lot of people saying they are interested in keeping chickens but we really didn’t have any provisions for that,” said council President Kim Zachary during the June 8 council meeting. “So we looked up the ways to keep healthy chickens and tried to incorporate that” into the ordinance.

The proposed measure to regulate chickens would, among other things, require:

• A $100 initial fee to cover the town’s cost for processing a permit and inspecting coops plus an annual fee of $50 to reinspect the coop and issue a certificate of approval.

• Coops are only allowed in rear yards and must be at least 100 feet from any street, dwelling or lot line. Manure and other odor- or dust-producing materials must be at least 200 feet from a lot line.

• Renters must have written permission from the property owner or landlord before applying for a chicken permit.

• Selling chickens, eggs and manure or keeping roosters is prohibited along with butchering birds on residential properties.

• Chickens are prohibited in townhouse communities, apartment communities and mobile home parks.

• Chickens must be in a coop, run or fenced area at all times. Chicken runs must have at least 10 square feet of space for each chicken.

• The minimum size for a coop is based on the total weight of the chickens it houses, with at least 2 square feet for each pound.

• Coops must be enclosed on all sides and have doors and openings covered in material to prevent vermin and predators from entering. 

• No scrap or mismatched materials can be used to construct coops, which must be painted or stained a color that is “in harmony” with the surrounding area. Coops also must be surrounded by a sight fence or shrubbery that is at least 4-feet tall.

• Chickens must be provided with shade and proper ventilation as well as protection from inclement weather. Access to food and clean water must be available at all times.

• Coops must be maintained and sanitized to prevent vermin and obnoxious odors.

• Residents are responsible for preventing excessive noise, offensive odors or unsanitary conditions that disturb neighbors or threaten public health.

The only objection to the proposed measure was raised by Councilwoman Carolyn Schweiger, who said the fees being charged are too high.

“The $50 renewal fee seems pretty excessive,” she said. “And to be honest, I don’t even like the $100 fee they have to pay.

“Times have changed, we’re in a pandemic,” she said. “I don’t agree with this, not for chickens. Not for people who are trying to feed their families.”

Zachary said the town is not trying to impose a hardship on people who want to raise chickens.

“It’s just trying to get back the cost of processing the application and coming out to inspect the coop,” she said. “The rational was to try to break even on an added expense to the town.”

Town council must submit the proposed ordinance to Allegheny County for review and hold a public hearing — likely in August — before voting on whether to adopt the measure.

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