WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. – As egg prices continue to rise, more cities are revisiting the idea of allowing backyard chickens for residents.
An exchange over backyard chicken regulations at Monday’s Winter Springs City Commission meeting saw Commissioner Paul Diaz deliver a sharp rebuke to proposed oversight measures.
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“Oh, we can’t develop an apartment complex or we can’t develop a shopping plaza, but oh my gosh, let’s go nuts if we hear a rooster!” Diaz declared, criticizing what he called inconsistent priorities in city governance.
“How about instead of trying to overregulate our citizens, we try freedom. It’s a pretty catchy thing,” Diaz said.
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The comments came during deliberations on amending the city’s 1968 livestock ban, which prohibits poultry in R-1, R-1A, and R-1AA zones.
Commissioner Sarah Baker proposed limiting chickens to single-family homes—excluding apartments, condos, and multi-family units—while mandating educational courses and banning roosters.
“If people have chickens they will be expected to take classes either through UF or other online institutions, Baker said. ”It would be regulated to no roosters and only hens to avoid the noise and a limited number of those hens to avoid bad smells.”
The small debate reflects broader tensions in Winter Springs, where rapid development clashes with preservation efforts.
Baker’s proposal mirrors Seminole County’s existing backyard chicken program, while Diaz’s push for “self-policing” echoes his recent criticism of delayed stormwater system upgrades.
For now, the board will work to observe what other municipalities are implementing.
They will vote next month on whether to revise the ordinance, which was last updated in August 2024.
