AURORA | The city is moving closer to increasing the number of backyard hens a resident can own from four to six.
Aurora City Council members gave unanimous initial approval to the measure at a study session Nov. 9.
The measure would allow up to eight chicken hens in lots of 20,000 square feet or greater for all single-family residential properties zoned RA, RE and RO.
Jenee Shipman, Auroraās Animal Care manager, said 176 permits have been issued so far with most permits being issued in Ward V at 39, and the most complaints coming from Ward II at 23.
The revisions to the chicken ordinance would still require coops to be located at least 15 feet from the neighboring property line, which means 15 feet from a neighborās fence in most cases. If a coop is closer than that, residents would need written permission from neighbors. Renters would also still need to get permission from property owners as part of the ordinance. Permits would still only be awarded to people living in single-family residences.
To obtain a permit, residents would also still be required to provide a drawing with dimensions of the chicken coop as well as dimensions for an adjacent outdoor enclosure, and how far both will be from fence lines with their applications.
Sounds reasonable to me.