Whitpain Township is proposing to update its zoning code in relation to the keeping of chickens. Currently chickens are not mentioned. A hearing regarding the issue is schedule for the February 20th meeting of the Whitpain Township’s Board of Supervisors. You can find the text of the proposed ordinance here.

The draft ordinance limits the keeping of chickens to hens. Roosters are prohibited, but can remain if they already exist on the property.

Not everyone can keep chickens based on the type of home they have and the size of their property. The proposed ordinance states that, “The keeping of chickens is permitted as an accessory use to a single family dwelling unit in the R-1, R-2, R-4 and R-5 Zoning Districts” and that the minimum lot size is 20,000 square feet.

The township’s zoning code states that a single family dwelling is “A building designed for and occupied exclusively as a dwelling for one family,” so chickens would be prohibited at a home that is attached to another.

We covered a similar proposed ordinance in the Borough of Conshohocken in 2021, and the public pushed back on the limitation on what type of home and neighborhood was needed to keep chickens. The public felt that those of all income levels should be able to benefit from having chickens.

Let us know what you think in the comments.

More to come.