The Denver City Council tonight will hold what promises to be a contentious public hearing on proposed ordinances that would allow residents to keep up to eight chickens and two dwarf goats.
There is a lot to like about the proposed backyard chicken laws, especially the protections they offer neighbors wary of what they might see as a farm operation moving in next door.
However, we have one big concern with the proposed changes, and that is the sheer number of animals that would be allowed.
We think eight hens and two goats are too many for densely populated Denver, which has many small city lots.
That number is also out of line with limits adopted by several other Colorado communities. Longmont, Littleton and Highlands Ranch have settled on a maximum of four hens, which seems about right.
Although egg production varies by season, available light, and age of the animal, we’re assured by chicken experts that four hens would provide a typical family with plenty of eggs.
If the idea is to allow a family to get its eggs from the backyard, then four hens should be enough. If the idea is for some residents to produce enough eggs to sell or give away, that’s another discussion.
In a city where there are decidedly mixed opinions on backyard chickens, it would be wise to start modestly, with a sunset review of the chicken ordinances after, say, five years.
Other proposed changes are appropriate. The current chicken permitting process in Denver is highly complex and cumbersome, and involves an expensive annual fee. The new process would include a one-time fee that likely would range from $15 to $25 and would be much more simple. We like that.
Rules that would require coops and structures housing dwarf goats to be 15 feet from a neighbor’s home would offer protection from animal smells.
And if a neighborhood had a bad chicken owner — one who did not regularly pick up manure — zoning ordinances could be enforced against that person.
Our calculus in looking at the backyard chicken issue is simple. Folks should be free to raise a small number of hens if they want home-produced eggs for personal consumption. However, rules ought to protect neighbors from bad actors — even if irresponsible owners are rare — because neighbors have the right to enjoy their property as well.
We hope council members take a hard look at the number of ani- mals allowed by the proposed changes and reduce it to four. When combined with a simplified licensing process and enforcement tools, the resulting compromise should protect everyone’s rights.
