ANNA MARIA – Anna Maria resident Jennifer Kaleta recently discovered the hard way that city code prohibits live chickens and chicken coops.
During public comment at the March 25 Anna Maria City Commission meeting, Kaleta asked the commission to consider revising the city’s existing chicken coop prohibitions.
Sec. 114-417 of the Anna Maria code of ordinances states: “No livestock, fowl or domestic animals other than ordinary household pets shall be kept or maintained in any district.”
When addressing the commission, Kaleta said, “I’m a single mom with three kids,” and she noted her children are 5, 7 and 10 years old.
“A year ago, in February, when the world shut down due to the pandemic, I was home with three kids. I looked at the possibility of getting chickens. I found a city code that stated we could have them. Fast forward a year and I get the dreaded call: ‘Jen, you cannot have chickens.’ When I went back to find the code that I had read, it was for Holmes Beach. Needless to say, we’re devastated,” Kaleta told the commission.
“The chickens taught my kids a huge sense of responsibility and we had farm fresh eggs that we ate almost every day. They fed them, played with them, cleaned their coop and every night made sure the coop was closed up tight so they were safe. As crazy as it sounds, they became a part of our family and we are completely devastated,” she said.
“Had I known, I would have come to you a year ago to see if the code could be adjusted. Holmes Beach, Manatee County, the city of Bradenton and the city of Palmetto all allow chickens with strict guidelines. I am here today in hope that you will consider changing the code to allow the kids and I to have our chickens – and mirror the code that Holmes Beach put into place back in 2014,” Kaleta said.
After speaking, Kaleta provided the clerk with copies of the Holmes Beach code to share with the commissioners. Neither the mayor nor any of the commissioners commented on her request to reconsider the city’s existing chicken-keeping prohibition.
Before leaving the commission chambers, Kaleta told The Sun the family’s chickens are currently living at her brother’s house.
Holmes Beach codes
Sec. 10-4 of the Holmes Beach code of ordinances is titled: “Keeping of chickens within the city limits.”
According to the Holmes Beach code of ordinances:
- No more than four chickens may be kept, with roosters prohibited.
- No person shall slaughter any chickens.
- The chickens shall be provided with a movable covered enclosure, i.e. ‘henhouse/coop,’ and must be kept in the covered enclosure or a fenced enclosure at all times.
- Chickens must be secured within the movable hen house/coop during non-daylight hours.
- No covered enclosure or fenced enclosure shall be located in the front yard, nor shall the henhouse/coop be closer than ten feet to any property line of an adjacent property, nor within 25 feet of any adjacent residential structure.
- Odors from chickens, chicken manure or other chicken-related substances shall not be detectable at the property boundaries.
- The henhouse/coop must be impermeable to rodents, wild birds, and predators, including dogs and cats.
- Enclosures shall be kept in neat condition, including provision of clean, dry bedding materials and regular removal of waste materials.
- All feed and other items associated with the keeping of chickens that are likely to attract or to become infested with or infected by rodents or other pests shall be kept in secure containers or otherwise protected.
- The sale of eggs or any other chicken products generated in the city is prohibited.
According to the Holmes Beach ordinance, “Nothing herein shall affect the ability of private property owners and/or neighborhoods to create and/or enforce private restrictions – which may provide more stringent regulation of chicken keeping than provided for herein, including the prohibition of chicken keeping.”
The Bradenton Beach code of city ordinances does not address chickens or chicken keeping.
