- October 11, 2024
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Andrew Werner has been one of several frequent fliers at Palm Coast City Council meetings in recent months, speaking to convince the council to allow backyard chickens.
"There are some people who don't like the idea of their neighbors having chickens in the backyard," Werner said, "[but] people who want to do something on their property should have a heavier weight than people that don't want you to do [it.]"
The city considers chickens farm animals, which are not allowed in residential neighborhoods.
But on June 13, the City Council heard a presentation on the pros and cons of allowing backyard chickens. The council can keep the code the same or change it to allow chickens or test out a pilot program.
Palm Coast resident Nathan Phelps said there are 80 people in the Palm Coast Chicken Alliance, created in mid-April.
"This is a growing thing," Phelps said. "There are a lot of people who want this, but they don't have time to drive to [City Council meetings]."
Several council members said they can't see chickens fitting into the Palm Coast community.
Council member Nick Klufas said that he doesn't think the council should immediately allow chickens without sample data.
“The way that Palm Coast exists today and the quality of life that we experience, we have to try to protect that," Klufas said.
The way that Palm Coast exists today and the quality of life that we experience, we have to try to protect that."
— NICK KLUFAS, City Council member
The push to allow chickens is nationwide, and city staff reviewed 10 county and city ordinances from around the state, Code Enforcement Manager Barbara Grossman said.
Seven of the 10 ordinances allowed chickens, with the following requirements: The owner must have a permit to keep chickens in single-family residential areas; only four chickens are allowed per household, and roosters are banned; the owner must take an agriculture-and-manure class as part of the permit process; chickens must be for personal use only; and chickens must be contained in an enclosure and screened from neighboring properties.
“There are many benefits to having backyard chickens, as well as negative impacts," Grossman said.
On the positive side, Grossman said, owning backyard chickens is cost efficient, educational, encourages self-suficiency and a more active lifestyle, reduces pests and, of course, provides free eggs.
The major drawbacks, staff found, includes attracting predators to residential areas, the potential for unsanitary conditions, and chickens going rogue in neighborhoods.
Klufas and council member Theresa Carli Pontieri both supported trying a pilot program, though Klufas said the program should have "rigorous" restrictions.
Pontieri said reasonable regulations could address major nuisance and sanitation concerns. She had requested the presentation from city staff, and said she was all for allowing backyard chickens with regulations similar to those used in other municipalities.
“I'm an advocate of, if you own your home and you're not a nuisance or you're not conducting anything illegal, that you should have great discretion as to what occurs in your home,” Pontieri said.
I'm an advocate of, if you own your home and you're not a nuisance or you're not conducting anything illegal, that you should have great discretion as to what occurs in your home."
— THERESA CARLI PONTIERI, City Council member
Grossman said that at the city level, backyard chickens would mostly impact Code Enforcement and Building and Zoning staff, for permits. She said city staff know some resident own chickens, regardless of the city’s code.
Josh Fabean, a Palm Coast resident and chicken proponent, said there are likely Palm Coast chicken owners no one knows about.
He said a strict pilot program could disincentivize interested people from participating.
"If you are creating a pilot program that makes the barrier to entry too high, why would someone participate in it?" Fabean said.
Council member Cathy Heighter and Vice Mayor Ed Danko both opposed changing the city code, saying they were concerned that chickens could become a nuisance.
Danko suggested interested residents form a community chicken garden instead of keeping chickens in yards.
Mayor David Alfin said he was the "chicken on the fence" on the issue, and that he hopes to reach out to residents like Werner, Fabean and Phelps to learn more.
He said he was especially interested in the potential educational aspect of owning chickens.
Alfin asked staff to bring the council a pilot program template to review and consider. That is expected to happen in August.
