Planning Board Won't Act on Backyard Chickens

The Piedmont Planning Commission said "hands off" to regulating backyard chickens through additional zoning rules after a late-night public hearing on Monday.

Commissioners opted not to take any action and not to request any additional reports from city planning staff unless asked to do so by the Piedmont City Council. The city already has regulations in place that residents could use to address nuisance problems caused by nearby poultry, and the zoning code already regulates chicken coops as accessory structures, they said.

The hearing was scheduled at the request of local resident Martha Bureau, who also submitted a petition signed by 26 Piedmont residents asking the city to consider regulating chickens.

The public hearing came at the end of a lengthy agenda and didn't get under way until after 11 p.m. Several speakers asked planning commissioners not to impose additional conditions on keeping chickens, while one speaker urged more regulation.

Don't miss a day of Piedmont news, opinion and events. Sign up for the Piedmont Patch e-newsletter here.