Arroyo Grande Resident Petitions for Poultry Rule Change

For a community that many say is known for it’s chickens and roosters running free in town, keeping poultry is not allowed in many parts of Arroyo Grande.
Now there is a peititon asking city leaders to make a change.

Teresa McClish with the city of Arroyo Grande said the city occasionally receives both requests and complaints about chickens.

One Arroyo Grande Resident wrote a petition asking leaders for change. The petition reads:

“The city of Arroyo grande is violating their own city and county municipal codes by allowing the free range of the chickens in the village creek area..They are a tourist attraction for the village. Its also a violation to own chickens within the city except in a very few areas (mostly rural). I know there are many families in the city who own chickens and are unaware of the cities municipal codes on keeping poultry. Its only a matter of time before code enforcement comes knocking at your door too. I owned chickens, i had 6 bantam sized hens in my backyard of my town home. Our backyard is plenty big for the chickens i had. Those chickens were a source of food for my children and they were helping teach my kids some responsibility. I have been down to city hall to appeal the city code and the decision against us, but they wont allow it (or don’t know what to do..who knows)”

Municipal codes:
6.12.050 – Animals and poultry at large.
No person shall allow or permit animals or poultry they own to run at large upon any public street or place or to trespass upon the property of another. This provision shall not be construed as permitting the running at large of any household pets who are restricted by the provisions of this title or by any law applicable thereto.
16.48.040 – Animal keeping provisions.
The keeping of animals is consistent with the rural lifestyle emphasized in low density residential development districts, and can enhance the small town, rural charm of these districts. To permit the keeping of animals and assure that their presence does not create an undue burden on neighboring residents, the following standards will apply, unless otherwise provided in the applicable zoning district.
B: For noncommercial purposes, the keeping of the following animals shall be permitted in districts zoned RE, RH, RR, RS. No commercial slaughtering or processing shall be permitted in these zoning districts. The minimum site area of the parcel shall be as specified and the number of animals allowed is subject to the requirements of subsections D and E of this section.
2.Small animals: twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.
C. All animal enclosures, including corrals, pens, feed areas, paddocks, uncovered stables and similar enclosures are subject to the following setback requirements. Setbacks shall be measured from the nearest building used for residential purposes on adjacent property.
2.Small animals:
a.Poultry twenty-five (25) feet.
D. Animal units are described in this subdivision to further define the relationships among animals of various sizes and to determine the number of animals allowed on a given parcel.
2.Small animals:
a.Ten (10) poultry equal one animal unit;
b.Ten (10) rabbits equal one animal unit;
3.The keeping of specific animals is subject to the following special standards:
b.Poultry: all poultry shall be contained in coops or pens and not be allowed to run free on any site. The maximum number of poultry allowed is twenty (20) (two animal units).
16.32.040 – Use regulations for residential districts.
according to this table, there are 4 districts that allow light farming aka keeping poultry according to code enforcement (residential estate, residential rural, residential suburban, residential hillside)

https://www.municode.com/library/ca/arroyo_grande/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT16DECO_CH16.32REDI_16.32.040USREREDI
Zoning Map for reference to above http://www.arroyogrande.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/281