[Adopted 11-12-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-05]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
A member of the subspecies Gallus domesticus, a domesticated fowl.
Also known as a "run." Fenced area which allows chickens a protected, unsupervised outside area.
[Amended 2-11-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-02]
Fenced area which protects chickens and prevents them from entering unwanted areas.
[Added 2-11-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-02]
Enclosed area with nesting boxes and roost in which chickens have access during the daylight hours and protects them from weather and predators during nighttime hours. A chicken pen or run is usually attached to it.
[Amended 2-11-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-02]
An applicant who has been granted permission to raise, harbor or keep chickens pursuant to this article.
The Town Manager or designee.
Any building that contains only one dwelling unit used, intended, rented, leased, or let or hired to be occupied for living purposes.
A chicken permitted under this article.
The purpose of this article is to provide standards for the keeping of domesticated chickens. It is intended to enable residents to keep a small number of chickens on a noncommercial basis while limiting the potential adverse impacts on the surrounding neighborhood. The Town recognizes that adverse neighborhood impacts may result from the keeping of domesticated chickens as a result of noise, odor, unsanitary animal living conditions, unsanitary waste storage and removal, the attraction of predators, rodents, insects, or parasites, and nonconfined animals leaving the owner's property. This article is intended to create licensing standards and requirements that ensure that domesticated chickens do not adversely impact the neighborhood surrounding the property on which the chickens are kept.
Permits will only be granted for property located in the residential districts.
A permit shall not allow the permittee to engage in chicken breeding or fertilizer production for commercial purposes.
A.
An annual permit is required for the keeping of any domesticated chickens in the Town of Snow Hill.
B.
Chickens must be registered with the State Department of Agriculture, Domestic Poultry and Exotic Bird Registration Division, via application forms provided by the Town. The applicant shall complete the application form and return the form to the permitting officer, who shall then forward the application form to the State Department of Agriculture.
The fee for an annual permit to keep chickens is $10.
A.
Chickens must be kept in an enclosure or fenced area at all times. During daylight hours, chickens may be allowed outside of their chicken pen in a securely fenced yard if supervised. Chickens shall be secured within the henhouse during the nondaylight hours.
B.
Enclosures must be clean, dry, and odor free, kept in a neat and sanitary condition at all times, in a manner that will not disturb the use or enjoyment of neighboring lots due to noise, odor or other adverse impacts.
C.
The hen house and chicken pen must provide adequate ventilation and adequate sun and shade, and both must be resistant to rodents, wild birds, and predators, including dogs and cats.
A henhouse shall be provided and shall be designated to provide safe and healthy living conditions for the chickens while minimizing adverse impacts to other residents in the neighborhood.
[Amended 2-11-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-02]
An enclosed chicken pen must be provided, consisting of sturdy wire fencing. The pen must be covered with wire, aviary netting, or solid roofing. The enclosed chicken pen area must be kept in a clean manner to prevent manure-borne pathogens such as coccidiosis and roundworms.
Enclosures, henhouses and pens are not permitted in the front yard of any property and may not be closer than 25 feet to any residence.
Only motion-activated lighting may be used to light the exterior of the henhouse.
The property owners shall take all necessary action to reduce the attraction of predators and rodents and the potential infestation of insects and parasites.
Chickens must be provided with access to feed and clean water at all times; such feed and water shall be rodent-proof.
[Amended 2-11-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-02]
Provisions must be made for the storage and removal of chicken manure. The proper methods for removal of chicken waste are composting; burning; and/or double-bagged and placed in trash receptacles. All stored manure shall be rodent-proof by a fully enclosed structure with a roof or lid over the entire structure. All other manure not used for composting or fertilizing shall be removed. In addition, the henhouse, chicken pen and surrounding area must be kept free from trash and accumulated droppings. Uneaten feed shall be removed in a timely manner.
All chickens must be afforded veterinary care if they are known or suspected to be sick or injured.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep chickens in violation of any provisions of this article or any other provisions of the Town of Snow Hill Municipal Code.
B.
It shall be unlawful for any owner, renter, or leaseholder of property to allow chickens to be kept on the property in violation of the provisions of this article.
C.
No person shall keep chickens inside a single-family dwelling unit, multifamily dwelling unit(s) or rental units.
D.
No person shall slaughter any chicken within the Town of Snow Hill.
E.
No person shall keep chickens on a vacant or uninhabited parcel of land.
A.
The Permitting Officer shall deny a permit if the applicant has not demonstrated compliance with all provisions of this article.
B.
A permit to keep domesticated chickens may be suspended or revoked by the Permitting Officer where there is a risk to public health or safety or for any violation of or failure to comply with any of the provisions of this article or with the provisions of any other applicable ordinance or law.
C.
Any denial, revocation or suspension of a permit shall be in writing and shall include notification of the right to and procedure for appeal.
A person appealing the issuance, denial, suspension or revocation of a permit by the Permitting Officer may appeal to the Board of Appeals within 30 days of the decision being appealed.
In addition to any other enforcement action which the Town may take, violation of any provision of this article shall be civil violation, and a fine not exceeding $100 may be imposed. Each day that a violation continues will be treated as a separate offense.
A.
Avian influenza: known informally as "avian flu" or "bird flu." Detection of a HPAI virus may result in immediate culling of the flock. Removal of the flock will be determined by the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
B.
In addition to the penalty, any violation of the provisions of this article or of the permit shall be grounds for an order from the Permitting Officer to remove the chickens and the chicken-related structures.
C.
The Health Inspector, Health Officer, and Animal Control Officer may also order the removal of the chickens upon a determination that the chickens pose a health risk.
D.
If a chicken dies, it must be disposed of promptly, in a sanitary manner.
