Backyard Chickens in Bel Air: A Do or A Don't?

Chickens are causing quite the commotion in Bel Air.

Arlo Glover, who lives on Spindle Hill Court, reportedly told the town commissioners this winter that he received a visit from a zoning enforcement officer after a complaint about his birds and learned that most town residents aren’t permitted to have them on their property. He has 10 chickens and his five boys, who participate in 4-H, help tend to them, according to The Aegis.

What do you think—should Bel Air residents be allowed to have chickens? Tell us in the comments!

Bel Air Town Code states that owners may not have coops and other poultry-related structures within 200 feet of adjacent properties. In addition, another section of zoning code says:

On properties of 2 acres or more, pens, barns or stalls for farm animals shall be permitted, provided that the number of animals shall not exceed one per acre, the animals are contained within a fenced area, and the following minimum setbacks for principal and accessory uses are met:

1 to 2 animals; set back 100 feet from adjacent residential structure

3 to 10 animals; set back 150 feet from adjacent structure

11 or more animals; set back 200 feet from adjacent structure

Bel Air Planning Director Kevin Small put the regulations on hold in February and is proposing changing the space requirement to 0.25 acre for two chickens with a maximum of 4 to 6 chickens per household, according to The Aegis. He said that current regulations prevent 95 percent of Bel Air from having chickens due to space constraints.

At a meeting last week, Interim Town Administrator Jesse Bane and Mayor Robert Reier said they were concerned chickens might attract predators that could eat people’s pets; meanwhile, Town Commissioner Edward Hopkins encouraged being flexible with chicken owners, particularly given the town’s agricultural heritage, The Aegis reported.

An Aberdeen resident who asked for permission to keep his chickens at home was denied last year, according to The Baltimore Sun, which reported the law in that municipality prevents live poultry altogether for health and noise reasons.

The Bel Air Department of Planning is reviewing the current code. Next, the matter will come before the Bel Air Planning Commission, which meets the first Thursday of each month. Its next meeting will be May 7 at Town Hall, 39 North Hickory Avenue in Bel Air.

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Photo Credit: Georgia Patch