Chapter 18.30 DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK
18.30.010 Purpose.
18.30.020 Permitted uses.
18.30.030 Special permit uses.
18.30.040 Animal units.
18.30.010 Purpose.
A. The purpose of this chapter is to regulate the number of domestic livestock kept on a lot or premises as an accessory to a principal residential use.
B. This chapter shall not apply to dogs, cats, and other household pets.
C. Commercial agricultural operations owned or operated by an individual or business entity with a state farm tax number that include the raising or breeding of livestock are exempt from the requirements of this Chapter.
((Ord. dated 11-19-13; Ord. dated 7-19-16)
18.30.020 Permitted uses. Keeping of domestic livestock is permitted on a lot or premises as an accessory to a principal residential use provided that the following conditions are satisfied:
A. The number of domestic livestock shall not exceed the limit of animal units per acre, excluding wetlands.
B. A maximum of three animal units are permitted on a lot, regardless of the size of the lot.
C. A lot on which any horse, cow, or other animal weighing more than 1,000 pounds; pony, mule, ass, burro, donkey, ostrich, emu, goat, sheep, llama, or alpaca is kept must have an area of at least one acre for the residential use in addition to the area required to accommodate the animals.
D. For all animals except chickens and rabbits, the lot must have an area of at least one acre. A maximum of six chickens or rabbits may be kept on a lot smaller than one acre.
E. The animals must be cared for in the manner required by Chapter 6.18 of this Code.
(Ord. dated 11-19-13; Ord. dated 7-19-16)
18.30.030 Special permit uses.
A. Keeping of the following animals as an accessory to a principal residential use requires a special use permit from the zoning board of review:
1. Keeping more than three animal units of domestic livestock on one lot.
2. Keeping more than six chickens or rabbits on a lot less than one acre.
3. Keeping roosters or peacocks.
4. Keeping swine.
B. 1. The number of domestic livestock kept by special use permit shall not exceed one animal unit per acre.
2. The total number of roosters, chickens, and peacocks shall not exceed 35 per acre.
3. Each swine requires an area of one acre, exclusive of other animals.
4. A lot on which any horse, cow, or other animal weighing more than 1,000 pounds; pony, mule, ass, burro, donkey, ostrich, emu, goat, sheep, llama, alpaca, or swine is kept must have an area of at least one acre in addition to the area required to accommodate the animals.
C. For a special use permit to keep more than three animal units of domestic livestock or a special use permit to keep swine, the following conditions must be satisfied:
1. The applicant shall submit a plan for the storage and disposal of manure for the approval of the zoning board of review. The plan must be approved by the U.S. department of agriculture natural resources conservation service (NRCS).
2. The applicant shall submit a site plan prepared by a registered land surveyor for the approval of the zoning board of review. The site plan shall comply with the following requirements:
a) Outdoor areas where horses are ridden or exercised shall be at least fifty (50) feet from a lot line.
b) Manure shall not be stored or composted within fifty (50) feet of a lot line, within one hundred (100) feet of a well, or within two hundred (200) feet of a wetland or stormwater drainage feature. Areas where manure is stored or composted shall be visually screened from dwellings on adjacent lots.
c) Stormwater and runoff from areas where animals are kept and from areas where manure is stored or composted shall be diverted from wetlands and wells on the same lot or adjacent lots.
d) Structures housing animals other than swine shall be at least fifty (50) feet from lot lines. Structures housing swine and outdoor areas where swine are confined shall be at least three hundred (300) feet from a lot line.
3. The use shall be maintained in compliance with chapter 6.18 of this code.
D. If the zoning board of review grants a special use permit to keep one or more roosters or peacocks, the roosters or peacocks must be cared for in the manner required by Chapter 6.18 of this Code for chickens and rabbits, with the additional requirement that roosters must be confined in a completely darkened shelter between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
(Ord. dated 11-19-13; Ord. dated 7-19-16)
18.30.040 Animal units. For the purposes of this chapter, an animal unit is a measurement used to determine the maximum number of animals that can be accommodated on one acre of land. Animal units are measured as follows:
Animal | Animal units per acre |
Horse, cow, or other animal weighing more than 1,000 pounds | 1 |
Mule, ass, burro, donkey | 1 |
Horses or ponies 34 inches or less at the withers at maturity | 5 |
Ostrich, emu | 5 |
Goat, sheep, llama, alpaca | 5 |
Turkey, goose, guinea hen, pea hen, peacock | 10 |
Duck | 20 |
Chicken | 35 |
Rabbit or other animal weighing less than 30 pounds at maturity | 35 |
(Ord. dated 11-19-13; Ord. dated 7-19-16)
REFERENCES
Code ch. 6.18, code ch. 18.30, code § 18.52.010.