Residents squawked, but the Roswell City Council has approved a new backyard chicken ordinance that bans roosters and uses lot size to determine the number of birds a resident can keep.
The council has agonized over the ordinance since May, when a judge threw out the old law because it was too vague. The issue became further politicized when backyard chicken keepers started appearing at meetings, often clad in yellow shirts.
Chicken keepers argued that a new law wasn’t needed because existing noise and smell ordinances were sufficient. Chicken critics pushed back, pointing out that Roswell, with about 90,000 residents, is hardly a country village these days.
On Monday night, the council spent two-and-a-half hours hearing citizen comments and making last-minute changes, finally approving a version by a 4-2 vote.
The council went back and forth over roosters. Chicken keepers said the male birds can be put inside at night to limit noise. And they said roosters protect the flock from predators. But residents like Keith Badalamente said roosters are a nuisance in a town with densely built sections.
“Ban the roosters,” he told the council. “I’m asking for no roosters at all.”
No chickens will be allowed at single-family homes on one-third acre or less. Homeowners with up to one acre can keep six birds. Homeowners with more than one acre can have 12 birds per acre, up to a maximum of 36. Chickens can also be kept at schools.
The ordinance doesn’t apply to property of two acres or more that’s zoned agricultural or land annexed from Fulton County, most which is agricultural. Enclosures must be set back at least 50 feet from neighboring property lines.
Andrew Wordes, who’d fought a citation and got the old chicken law thrown out, seemed stunned after the meeting. He said he has about 150 birds, some miniature sized.
“I’ve got .97 acre, so legally I’m allowed six chickens,” Wordes said. “I don’t see how we can have murders happening near city hall and we’re concerned about chickens.”
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