REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 07/19/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: City Manager’s Office
SUBJECT:
Title
REVIEW OF CORONA’S MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING KEEPING OF FEMALE CHICKENS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to provide direction on the current ordinance covering chickens in residential areas and consider amending requirements. Per Mayor Daddario’s request, staff has provided a review of Chapter 6.20 of the Corona Municipal Code, “Keeping of Female Chickens,” and compared its regulations to eight non-rural neighboring jurisdictions.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council discuss options for amending Chapter 6.20 of Title 6 of the Corona Municipal Code.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
On February 14th, 2023, Mayor Tony Daddario requested staff provide an overview of Title 6 Animals, Chapter 6.20 Keeping of Female Chickens, and compare its regulations with non-rural neighboring jurisdictions. The goal of the comparison is to identify how the current requirements compare to other cities and if necessary, provide recommendations to amend requirements to align with neighboring jurisdictions.
ANALYSIS:
Under Title 6 Animals, Chapter 6.20 Keeping of Female Chickens of the Corona Municipal Code, single-family residential zones with a minimum 10,000 sq ft lot may keep female chickens after obtaining a permit from the city. The maximum number of chickens is dependent on the lot size as outlined in the code. However, no more than five chickens are allowed on a single lot. An application must be submitted with an associated $116.00 one-time filing fee to the Animal Services Department. The application is accessible through the city webpage. Once the application has been reviewed and verified by an Animal Control Officer, a permit will be issued to the resident. Additionally, Animal Control Officers have the authority to investigate noise and other complaints on a property with a chicken permit and issue violation fees when necessary. The Animal Control Officer can issue up to three violations increasing $100.00 in fees per violation. The fourth violation will result in a $400.00 violation fee and revocation of the permit.
Additional criteria and standards must be adhered by the resident once assigned a permit. Chickens must be contained and cannot run at large. Proper containment is described as a house or coop with a covered enclosure feature. Containment must be 50 feet from any dwelling and 100 feet from any school, hospital, hotel, daycare facility, healthcare facility, food establishment, restaurant, or similar institution. The chickens must have access to food and water while being kept in clean and sanitary condition free from offensive odors. The commercial use and keeping of roosters are prohibited under the code.
Staff reviewed eight non-rural neighboring jurisdictions including the City of Temecula, Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga, Eastvale, Murietta, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Yorba Linda. All chicken ordinances among the eight jurisdictions were reviewed and compared to the Corona Municipal Code. The following tables demonstrate the findings.
Table 1. Residential Permit Required
Table 2. Zone Requirement
Table 3. Lot Size Requirement
Table 4. Number of Chickens Allowed
Table 5. Chicken Age Requirement
Table 6. Containment Requirement
Table 7. Distance Requirement
Table 8. Commercial Use
Table 9. Roosters Allowed
Based on the findings above, staff is providing options for amending Chapter 6.20 of Title 6 of the Corona Municipal Code to align with those of the neighboring jurisdictions. These include:
1. Reduce the minimum lot size requirement to keep chickens from 10,000 square feet lot to 7,200 square feet.
2. Increase the maximum number of chickens allowed on a lot from five to ten.
3. Reduce distance requirements from 50 feet from dwelling to 10 feet from property line. However, the 100 feet requirements from any school, hospital, hotel, daycare facility, healthcare facility, food establishment, restaurant or similar institution must be kept.
Reducing the minimum lot size requirement to keep chickens from 10,000 square feet to 7,2000 square feet would allow an estimated 15,359 parcels to keep chickens on their property. Increasing the maximum number of chickens on a lot from five to ten allows residents more flexibility like their neighboring jurisdictions. By reducing the distance requirements from 50 feet from dwelling to 10 feet from property line this gives the lot owner more freedom to adjust chicken containment on their lot while still protecting the distance between the resident and their neighbor.
Also, based on feedback from the Animal Services Division and the Planning and Development Department, staff is recommending the additional requirement of a maximum six feet height for all chicken containment. The six foot maximum height will minimize the likelihood that the coop is seen by neighbors while protecting the health of the chickens by ensuring their containment is safe and secure.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with this action.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action seeks direction from Council regarding the keeping of female chickens and there is no possibility that obtaining direction will have a significant effect on the environment.
PREPARED BY: CARMEN ZAMBRANO, CITY MANAGEMENT FELLOW AND BRIAN KIM, CITY MANAGEMENT FELLOW
REVIEWED BY: JUSTIN TUCKER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND BRETT CHANNING, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Presentation
2. Exhibit 2 - Future Agenda Item Request Form and Estimated Numbers of Hours to Conduct
3. Exhibit 3 - Title 6 Animals Chapter 6.20 Keeping of Female Chickens
4. Exhibit 4 - Summary of Findings