OKEECHOBEE – Okeechobee County residents who wish to keep chickens in their backyards won’t have to obtain a permit.

An ordinance under consideration during the Nov. 20 meeting of the Okeechobee County Board of Commissioners included a provision requiring residents to pay a one-time fee and obtain a permit.

Three of the four commissioners at the meeting opted to remove the permit requirement.

“It seems a little bit silly that this much time has been taking by this board to figure out whether somebody is allowed to have chickens,” said Commissioner Michael Sumner. Sumner, who was sworn in just prior to the meeting, was recently elected to represent District 5.

After winning the Republican primary, Sumner has been a regular audience member at county commission meetings, and heard discussions about chickens at several prior meetings.

“I don’t believe that a person should have to have a permit to have the chickens,” said Sumner. He said with a permit requirement, code enforcement or animal control staff could enter the property without notice to check on the chickens.

 “The permit takes away some rights, in my opinion,” he said.

Commissioner Frank DeCarlo said if there is a complaint that chickens are not being cared for properly, that complaint is probably going to come from a neighbor. Code enforcement or animal control officers could probably see the conditions from the neighbor’s property, he said.

“I’m for the permit if it’s a nominal fee, $10 or $15,” said Goodbread. “I think it’s good housekeeping for the county to say if they signed this permit, they received the do’s and don’ts, the rules. I am sure the county staff can’t just go willy nilly on their property. They have to have a complaint.

“I don’t want to tie their (animal control's) hands  because there are a lot of bad humans out there that don’t take care of their livestock or their pets,” he added. “We’re not taking away rights. We’re giving them rights. We’re giving them the ability to have backyard chickens. We want some oversight in case they are not doing it right,” Goodbread continued.

“Personally, I believe most people who want chickens already have them,” said Commissioner Chair David Hazellief. Hazellief and Commissioner Frank DeCarlo stated they did not want to require permits. Goodbread said this was “not a hill I want to die on.”

Commissioners agreed to continue the public hearing until the next meeting, on Dec. 5 at 9 a.m. Before that meeting, the county attorney will redraft the ordinance to remove all references to permits.

Under the proposed ordinance, backyard chickens will be allowed on single-family residential lots of at least 0.2 acres. Each residence is limited to no more than six hens. No roosters are allowed. The ordinance includes requirements for a chicken coop and/or a fenced run, to properly manage the chicken manure and to keep the property free of health hazards.

The ordinance only applies to single family residential zoning areas. It does not impact other zoning areas which already allow chickens.