A James City County committee will review next month a draft ordinance that could allow chicken keeping in a larger portion of the county.
The county’s Planning Commission Policy Committee, which comprises three members of the full seven-member Planning Commission, resumed discussion of chicken keeping at the direction of the Board of Supervisors last month.
On Thursday, the committee asked staff to draft an example ordinance that would allow chicken keeping in more residential areas. The committee is not yet sure backyard chicken keeping is right for the county, but wants to be able to vote on specific language for a new regulation.
Commissioner Rich Krapf (Powhatan) said he was concerned allowing chickens in an area they do not currently live may bring predators – snakes and foxes, in particular – into neighborhoods that have not yet had to deal with them.
Krapf also said he was unsure the two current zoning enforcement officials in the county, who are responsible for ensuring chicken-keepers follow regulations, would be enough to regulate the practice if it is allowed in a larger portion of the county. He also asked that any ordinance prohibit roosters, include setback requirements and require enclosed cages.
At its January meeting, the committee heard from citizens who had opinions about chicken keeping. Information from that meeting and a citizens survey fueled further discussion Thursday.
More than 600 people responded to the survey, which showed 44 percent of respondents supported chicken keeping in residential areas and 54 percent did not. Of the 329 survey respondents against chicken keeping, 200 live in one subdivision, read a staff memo to the committee. The memo does not give any details about where respondents live.
If the county does allow chicken keeping, 86 percent of respondents want to see restrictions applied to deal with the number of chickens allowed, coop standards and location, sanitation, and regulations to deal with possible nuisance complaints.
The committee decided Thursday to examine each of the county’s seven residential zoning districts to determine which would be appropriate for chickens.
Chickens are currently allowed in two residential districts: rural residential, which is designed to allow farming and forestry operations, and low-density residential, which is meant to be suitable for farming and livestock operations. Those two districts, along with an agricultural district allowing chickens, cover about 49 percent of the county.
The committee decided four districts would not be suitable for chicken keeping:
- General residential, which is for quiet, low-density areas and clustered developments. Neighborhoods in this district include Chickahominy Haven, Seasons Trace, Longhill Gate and Fenwick Hills.
- Residential redevelopment, which encourages existing buildings or previously developed sites be reused for housing. There are no neighborhoods in this district.
- Residential planned community, which encourages large cluster communities – including townhomes, condominiums and apartments – that protect natural resources. Some examples of developments in this district are Ford’s Colony, Governor’s Land, Kingsmill and Powhatan Secondary.
- Multifamily residential, which is designed for moderate to high-density residential developments. This district is designed for small lots and multi-family buildings; some examples are Brookside Haven, Michelle Point, Pocahontas Square and Skiffes Creek.
The remaining residential district, labeled limited residential, contains low-density neighborhoods with single-family homes. Neighborhoods in this district include Toano Woods, St. George’s Hundred, Wellington and Powhatan Shores.
Staff will work to draft an ordinance to bring back to the committee at its March 6 meeting. Policy Committee agendas are posted on the county’s website the week before the meetings.
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