[Adopted 6-17-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-507 (Ch. 52, Art. III,
of the 1996 Code)]
The intent of this article is to permit the keeping of chicken
hens in residentially zoned areas by the citizens of Patton Township.
It has been shown that, in limited quantities, chickens do not pose
a major health hazard and under certain conditions can be kept without
causing a nuisance to surrounding properties.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
The keeping of chicken hens shall be allowed by right in the
Rural Residence (R-1) District, the Low-Density (R-2) Residence Zoning
District, the Medium Density (R-3) Residence Zoning District, the
Manufactured Home Park (R-MHP) Zoning District, the Manufactured Home
Residence (R-M) Zoning District, and the Rural (A-1) District, provided
that the following conditions are met:
A.
The building lot has been developed
as a single-family residence.
B.
No more than four chicken hens
shall be kept per one-family dwelling, and no more than eight chicken
hens shall be kept per one-family dwelling for lots two acres or greater
in the A-1 Rural and R-1 Rural Residence Zoning Districts only.
C.
A minimum lot size either owned,
leased, or rented of 1/2 acre shall be required in residential zoning
districts.
D.
No person shall keep a rooster
in Patton Township on a tract of land less than 10 acres in size.
E.
All chicken hens shall be housed
in a roofed coop that is stationary, secure, and enclosed in a way
that contains the chickens.
F.
The coop shall not be within
30 feet of any main building on an adjacent lot.
G.
The minimum coop size shall be
three square feet per chicken. The maximum overall coop size shall
not exceed 30 square feet.
H.
An outside run is permitted when
attached to the coop.
I.
If an outside run is provided,
it shall be no bigger than 10 square feet per chicken and shall be
enclosed in a way that contains the chickens.
J.
The outside run shall not be
within 30 feet of any main building on an adjacent lot.
K.
All coops and runs are subject
to setbacks for accessory structures.
L.
All coops and runs shall be screened
from the view at ground level from adjacent lots by using fencing,
landscaping, or a combination thereof.
M.
A zoning permit shall be required
for keeping chicken hens, coops, and outside runs.
The following provisions shall apply to all residentially zoned properties of less than 10 acres that are keeping chickens as set forth in § 139-10 of the Code of Patton Township:
A.
Unlawful to allow chickens to
run at large. It shall be unlawful for the owner or owners of any
chickens to allow the same to run at large upon any of the common
thoroughfares, sidewalks, passageways, play areas, parks, streets,
alleys, or public highways, or any place where people congregate or
walk, or upon any public or private property, without an approved
coop and run in Patton Township. Any chicken not contained within
an approved coop or run shall be deemed "at large."
B.
Sanitary requirements for housing
chickens. Any owner or owners of chickens within the limits of Patton
Township shall be required to house the same at all times under sanitary
conditions so that the keeping of chickens shall not become either
a public or private nuisance. The following provisions apply:
(1)
All chicken feces accumulated
on private property shall be removed by using the approved sanitary
method of double bagging and placed in the trash for collection unless
composted as provided for below.
(2)
Chicken feces on private
property shall not be allowed to accumulate to the degree that it
becomes a public health nuisance or hazard. In cases where chicken
feces does accumulate on private property, the Ordinance Enforcement
Officer and/or Local Health Department or their designee may conduct
an investigation, after which the accumulation may be declared a public
health hazard or nuisance and the owner shall be ordered to remove
and dispose of the accumulated feces in an approved manner. The order
to remove such accumulated feces shall be given personally to the
owner or shall be sent by registered mail, and the owner shall be
given a period of 48 hours from the date and time of receipt of the
order to clean the property and remove the accumulated feces.
C.
Composting. It shall be unlawful
for any person to spread or cause to be spread or deposited upon any
ground or premises within Patton Township any chicken manure. However,
chicken manure may be composted on the property where the chickens
are housed and the composted material then applied to gardens or yards.
D.
Slaughtering or butchering. Slaughtering
or butchering of chickens for personal consumption or religious practices
shall be permitted, provided that it is done wholly on the property
where the chickens are kept and any waste is disposed of in a proper
and sanitary way.
E.
Slaughtering or butchering: commercial.
No person shall slaughter or butcher any chicken within Patton Township
for commercial sale unless under the operation of an approved facility
for the slaughtering of animals as regulated by the Pennsylvania Department
of Agriculture.
F.
Proper storage of feed. All feed,
water, and other items associated with the keeping of chickens shall
be protected in a way that prevents infestation by rats, mice, or
other rodents or vectors. Failure to keep all feed, water, and other
items associated with the keeping of chickens in a clean and sanitary
condition constitutes a violation of this ordinance.[1]
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. I)]
Any owner or owners of any chicken or chickens kept within the
limits of Patton Township violating any of the provisions of this
article shall, upon conviction thereof before the Magisterial District
Judge, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $50 nor more than
$600 and costs of prosecution at the discretion of said Magisterial
District Judge and, in default of payment of such fine and costs,
shall be committed to the county jail for not more than five days.
