To Keep Chickens

Conditional Use Permit for Chickens

Chicken Document Cover PhotoA Conditional Use Permit issued by the Zoning Administrator is required to keep egg-laying hens in Cleveland Heights in compliance with the Standards explained on page 2 of the application.

Code section 1153.05 (gg) Chicken Coops and Chicken Runs

Chicken coops and runs may be conditionally permitted in the AA, A, and B residential districts by the Zoning Administrator provided the standards listed in this subsection are met:

  1. Chicken coops and runs may be conditionally permitted in the AA, A, and B residential districts by the Zoning Administrator provided the standards listed in this subsection are met:
    1. A maximum of four (4) chickens may be kept on the property.
    2. No commercial activity will result from the keeping of chickens on the property.
    3. Roosters are not permitted.
    4. Chicken coops and runs shall be allowed in the rear yard only.
    5. Chicken coops and runs shall be located a minimum of ten (10) feet away from the house and ten (10) feet from an adjacent lot. At all times, chickens shall be contained within the coop and/or run.
    6. The facility shall be kept in good repair, maintained in a clean and in a sanitary condition, and free of vermin, obnoxious smells and substances. The facility will not create a nuisance or disturb neighboring residents due to noise, odor, damage or threats to public health.
    7. The chicken coop and run shall be designed to ensure the health and well-being of the animal is not endangered by the manner of keeping or confinement and to protect the chickens from animals and to prevent unauthorized access to the chickens by general members of the public.
    8. The chicken coop and run shall be adequately lighted and ventilated.
    9. The coop and run enclosures shall be of uniform and sturdy design and shall be constructed and maintained in good condition to protect the safety of the chickens and the aesthetics of the neighborhood.
    10. Chicken coop and run fencing material shall be securely fastened to posts of reasonable strength firmly set into the ground and, if used, chicken wire or other woven wire shall be stretched tightly between support posts.
    11. No storage of chicken manure shall be permitted within twenty (20) feet of the property line.
    12. Chickens shall be kept in coops from dusk to dawn.
    13. Slaughtering of the chickens is prohibited.
  2. Zoning Administrator shall verify general compliance with City Codes before issuing conditional use permit.
  3. Written notice of approved conditional use permits shall be mailed by the Zoning Administrator by first class mail to adjoining properties to the attention of the owners of such properties. Said notice shall reference this Subsection and provide contact information for any questions or complaints relating to the approved use.
  4. Unresolved complaints concerning the above listed conditions shall be sent by the Zoning Administrator to be heard by the Planning Commission who shall have the power to revoke, modify, or affirm the conditional use permit.

The chicken coop / run must also satisfy Code section 1151.02 General Standards for Conditional Uses, available on the city’s code website.