North Huntingdon OKs new backyard chicken rules

Having debated for months on how to regulate people raising chickens in a residential neighborhood, North Huntingdon commissioners this week approved a zoning ordinance amendment that requires a permit.

The seven commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved the zoning amendment.

Under the revision, the owners of properties zoned R-2, R-3 and R-4, which range in size from 10 acres to 20 acres, can apply for a conditional use permit to have hens — no roosters — if approved by the township zoning hearing board following a public hearing. Raising chickens on property zoned R-1 is not permitted.

One of the previous flashpoints among officials had been the $590 fee for a public hearing — $350 for a legal advertisement to publicize the hearing and $240 for a court reporter. The fee is lower than the $740 charged to other property owners seeking a variance before the board.

Both the Westmoreland County planning department and township Commissioner Virginia Stump contended it was too high and was discriminatory to those low-income residents who might want chickens.

Stump, who had been a strong opponent of requiring those who want to raise backyard chickens to pay $590 for a public hearing, said following the meeting she did not feel there was any point in voting against a resolution that was bound to be approved.

Commissioners did not address in the amendment the number of chickens that could be raised by a person who seeks a permit from the zoning board.

A public hearing held last week drew two opponents but no supporters for raising the birds on their property.

North Huntingdon is not the only community in the region dealing with the issue of regulating backyard chickens.

Unity officials this week tackled the issue in a zoning board hearing Tuesday over a family’s appeal of a ruling that they could not keep their 20 chickens on their Range Street property. The township also is considering revising regulations governing raising backyard chickens.