Chapter 6.10
CHICKENS

Sections:

6.10.010    Chicken management.

6.10.020    Chicken license.

6.10.030    Chicken license procedure.

6.10.010 Chicken management.

Chickens may be kept within the city limits of Mattawa, provided:

A. No more than ten hens, including chickens and chicks, may be kept per single-family residential lot pursuant to subsection L of this section.

B. No roosters are allowed.

C. Chickens, except for chicks, shall not be kept inside any permitted dwelling.

D. Henhouses, coops and chicken tractors must be set back at least five feet from all property lines. No henhouse, coop or tractor may be located within ten feet of any neighboring residence.

E. Henhouses, coops and chicken tractors shall be kept at least five feet from any other structure including decks.

F. Henhouses, coops and chicken tractors shall provide for adequate shelter, be kept clean and maintained so that dust, manure and odors are not detectable beyond any property line.

G. Henhouses, coops and chicken tractors shall not exceed one hundred twenty square feet in size and shall not exceed eight feet in height at the structure’s highest point. Chicken runs shall not exceed two hundred forty square feet in size.

H. Henhouses, coops and chicken tractors shall provide at least four square feet of space per chicken.

I. Henhouses, coops and chicken tractors shall be restricted to the backyard area of a single-family residential lot.

J. Henhouses, coops and chicken tractors shall be set back one hundred feet from any public or private well.

K. Chickens shall not be allowed to run at large and shall be enclosed within a henhouse, coop or chicken tractor at all times.

L. Chickens shall be allowed only on single-family residential lots containing a maximum of one residence.

M. Chicken manure shall be managed so as not to create a nuisance or be in violation of Chapter 8.28 as currently enacted or hereinafter amended.

N. Chickens shall not be slaughtered within the city limits.

O. All chicken feed or food set aside for chickens shall be stored in rodent-proof containers and feeders.

P. All structures used to house or care for chickens, including henhouses, coops and chicken tractors, shall be rodent-proof.

Q. Any rodent activity in the vicinity of any chicken structure or enclosure shall require the licensed owner of the chickens to eradicate the rodents in compliance with local, state and federal laws.

(Ord. No. 661, § 1, 8-5-21; Ord. No. 656, § 1, 5-20-21; Ord. 544, § 1, 5-15-14).

6.10.020 Chicken license.

A. Annual License. A single license to keep up to ten chickens per single-family residential lot shall be obtained annually by the owner as provided for in Section 6.10.030.

B. License Expiration. A chicken license shall expire one year from the date of issuance.

C. Exemptions from License Fees. The following are exempt from license fees:

1. Chickens in the temporary custody of a veterinarian or animal welfare organization whose owners are unknown; or

2. Chickens owned, and available for retail sale, by the owner or operator of a licensed commercial pet facility.

(Ord. No. 661, § 1, 8-5-21; Ord. No. 656, § 1, 5-20-21; Ord. 544, § 1, 5-15-14).

6.10.030 Chicken license procedure.

A. Issuance of Licenses. The city clerk, animal control authority, or the authorized agents thereof shall issue licenses as specified in this section. The cost of the coop license shall be established by city council resolution.

B. Contents of License. The license shall be in the form of a receipt following proof of payment for the license. The application for the license shall contain the following:

1. Date of issuance and date of expiration;

2. A serial number;

3. The name, address, and telephone number of the owner of the chicken(s);

4. A written consent form authorizing city officers, officials, and employees to enter onto the licensee’s property pursuant to subsection C of this section.

C. Consent to Enter Buildings or Property. As a condition of obtaining a license under this chapter, the property owner (or occupant if the property is occupied by an applicant who is not the property owner) shall sign a written consent form authorizing city officers, officials and employees to, after providing twenty-four hours’ prior notice, enter the building(s) or property which are the subject of the license to perform any inspections, measurements, sampling, or other action required to review compliance with this municipal code and any other applicable rule or regulation. Refusal to pre-authorize consent for city staff to enter the building(s) or property to perform code compliance inspections shall result in the denial of a license under this chapter.

(Ord. No. 683, § 3, 4-6-23; Ord. No. 661, § 1, 8-5-21; Ord. No. 656, § 1, 5-20-21; Ord. 544, § 1, 5-15-14).