Pecking Away At Better Chicken Ordinance

Right now, if you live in North Kingstown and want to raise even one chicken – regardless of your lot size – you must seek a special-use permit from the Zoning Board. That can cost $500 to $600, making it harder to justify in terms of anything other than a somewhat expensive hobby.

There are those residents on whose land chickens have always been raised, so they are grandfathered in. But for everyone else, those with children who may want to get involved in 4H or who to raise their own chickens for eggs, you need to get permission.

The Planning Commission discussed revisions to the ordinance at its meeting last week, following a request by the Town Council. 

Members liked the idea of allowing residents to keep six chickens per acre without getting a special use permit. Those with properties of less than an acre would still need to apply for a special use permit. 

By the end of their discussion, the panel asked Planning Director Jon Reiner to amend the ordinance for their review. If the Planning Commission approves an amended ordinance, it would then go to the Town Council for approval. 

What do you think about residents being able to keep chickens?