County Takes Up Fowl Issue

Sonora, CA – The Tuolumne County Planning Commission will take a look at a poultry ordinance amendment that has some crying foul.

The Board of Supervisors recently voted 4-1 at its meeting to have the Planning Commission review the ordinance change and report to the board.  During the meeting, those opposed voiced that the birds can be a nuisance to neighbors, a risk of increased avian disease, and that there is already zoning in areas of the county allowing poultry.  As previously reported, Sonora began allowing chickens in the city limits at the beginning of last year.

The county’s ordinance change would allow property owners in areas zoned R-1 (single-family residential) to raise up to two chickens on parcels under ½ acre, four chickens on parcels ½ -1 acre, and six chickens on parcels over an acre.  Other provisions involve enclosed coops or cages.  The rule change could affect more 17,000 parcels in the county.

The planning commission meeting is November 19 at  6 p.m. in the Supervisors Chambers in Sonora.  The Board of Supervisors will have a final say on the whether or not to implement the rule change.