Fowl language in ordinance

Saratoga residents are one step closer to being able to own poultry within town limits following the June 18 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council.

Ordinance No. 870, previously preferred to as the "Chicken Ordinance" was passed unanimously on first reading at the second June meeting of the governing body. A proposed draft of the ordinance was presented to the Saratoga Town Council in March, discussed by the Saratoga Planning Commission in April and the subject of a public hearing at the May 14 meeting of the planning commission.

Under the proposed draft, residents in a single-family dwelling within municipal limits would be able to own up to six hens. The ordinance, as of the first reading, expands the allowable livestock from chickens to poultry. Poultry is defined by Ordinance No. 870 as "smaller fowl kept and raised primarily for their eggs such as chickens, ducks, guinea, quail." Additionally, the definition of poultry, it reads "animals in this category if the breed has an average grown adult female weight of under 12 pounds."

Similar to the initial draft, only hens will be allowed within town limits.

The ordinance also provides definitions for coop, run and pen. Coop is defined in the ordinance as an enclosed structure providing shelter to poultry which must be insulated, heated or both. Coops will be considered accessory structures and cannot be more than eight feet in height with a minimum size of four square feet of space per chicken and five square feet of space per duck. A pen is defined as the fully enclosed fenced area outside the coop, must be constructed to allow healthy movement for poultry, allow access into the coop from the run and must not extend into the front yard of the property. Minimum size for a run is 10 square feet per chicken and 16 square feet per duck. A pen is defined as the combination of coop and run.

Poultry may be allowed to roam outside their pen during the day as long as the area is in the rear yard of the lot and is surrounded by a fence at least six feet high. Additionally, the wings of the poultry must be clipped.

As of the first reading, Ordinance No. 870 allows a maximum of 12 poultry of any combination for any single-family dwelling located on a single parcel. Assuming a resident would want to own the maximum number of poultry, a coop would need to be 48 square feet for chicken and 60 feet for ducks with the run being 120 square feet for chicken and 192 square feet for duck. This would mean the entire pen would be 168 square feet for 12 chickens or 252 square feet for ducks.

A minimum of two of each type of poultry is allowed at one time. Under the ordinance, poultry must be kept for enjoyment and egg production while "the consistent cycling of poultry populations for household meat or for sale is prohibited."

The first reading of Ordinance No. 870 was by title only. Two readings remain with the second reading on July 2 and the third reading on July 16.

The next meeting of the Saratoga Town Council will be at 6 p.m. on July 2 at Saratoga Town Hall.