HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/15/2025 13.B. Memo concerning the code regarding number of chickens allowable per household `y7ljlt
r<-
ii!
,1- 14111\1
I!I//
.
s
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 13.B.
For Meeting of: July 15, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Memo concerning the code regarding number of chickens allowable
per household
SUBMITTED BY: Trevor Martin, Planning Manager
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
On March 4, 2025, City Council directed staff to bring back information regarding the current ordinance
for the number of chickens allowed per household and staffs recommendation. This was a result of a
member of the public emailing City Council requesting that the number of chickens allowed be increased
due to the egg crisis. A memo from staff is attached.
ITEM BUDGETED: N/A
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: A Resilient Yakima
RECOMMENDATION: No action recommended.
ATTACHMENTS:
Memo re Allowable Number of Chickens.pdf
174
„ o Y-1 Nis COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
174.• 4 A Bill Preston,P.E.,Director
.: 1 Trevor Martin,AICP,Manager
V Planning Division
II:tn� '•�•. $6* 129 North Second Street,2nd Floor, Yakima, Washington 98901
1,`,_ RATT..» `ate' Phone (509) 575-6183 • Fax(509) 575-6105 • Email: ask.planning@yakimawa.gov
tit ti�,„__--
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 8, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor, Members of City Council, and City Manager
From: Trevor Martin, Planning Manager
Subject: Number of chickens allowable per household
On March 4, 2025, City Council directed staff to provide a review of the current code and their
recommendation regarding the number of chickens allowable per household.
CURRENT CODE: Per Yakima Municipal Code § 15.04.060(D), up to four hens are allowed per household;
roosters are prohibited.The code also outlines requirements for having hens in residential districts of
the city as summarized below:
• Must not create undue noise or odors;
• Must be properly fed and watered;
• Chicken coops and tractors must be set back ten feet or more from any residence or property
line, and at least five feet from other structures;
• Hen houses, coops, hutches, and chicken tractors are only allowed in the backyard; and
• Must have adequate fencing.
OTHER JURISDICTIONS: Below are the regulations from a few other jurisdictions in Washington state
around a similar size as Yakima:
• Federal Way- up to four hens allowed on lots less than 35,000 sq ftl and twenty hens on lots
containing 35,000 sq ft or morel;
• Renton - up to three hens allowed on lots at least 4,500 sq ft in size (and 1 additional hen for
each additional 1,000 sq ft of lot area)3;
• Spokane Valley—one hen per 2,000 sq ft of lot area, up to a maximum of twenty-five hens4;
• Kirkland—up to three hens per household in low density zones only. For lots over 5,000 sq ft,
one additional hen is allowed for every additional 1,000 sq ft of lot area up to twenty hens5; and
• Kennewick—up to three hens per household; more may be allowable if you get a land use
permit.'
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff does not recommend any changes at this time.The current ordinance
is straightforward in providing an exact number of hens allowed while not being overly restrictive.
1 https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/FederalWay/#!/FederalWay19/FederalWay19260.html#19.260.055
2 https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/FederalWay/#!/FederalWay19/FederalWay19260.html#19.260.060
3 https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Renton/#!/Renton04/Renton0404/Renton0404010.html
4 https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/SpokaneValley/html/SpokaneValleyl9/SpokaneValley1965.html#19.65.020
5 https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Kirkland/?KirklandZ115/KirklandZ115.html#115.20
6 https://library.municode.com/wa/kennewick/codes/codeof_ordinances?nodeld=TIT18ZO_CH18.12ZODIST18.12.040ANKE
Yakima
II
v1mtagtf
Mr
2015
1994
175