EDGEWATER, Fla. – A Central Florida city is set to decide whether residents will soon be allowed to keep backyard chickens under a proposed ordinance that outlines strict limits on how the birds can be kept.
The proposal, which is headed to a second reading and public hearing Monday night before a final vote, would allow residents in Edgewater to keep hens in residential neighborhoods where chickens are currently prohibited.
If approved, the ordinance would only allow female chickens and would ban roosters. It would also prohibit residents from using the birds for commercial purposes, meaning eggs could not be sold.
The measure lays out detailed requirements for how backyard chickens would be regulated across the city, including limits on flock size based on property size. Homes on smaller residential lots would be allowed up to five hens, while larger properties could keep up to seven.
The ordinance also requires coops to be placed in backyards and meet setback requirements from neighboring homes. Officials say the structures would need to be maintained to prevent odors and pests from impacting surrounding properties.
Even if the measure is approved, homeowners may not automatically qualify to keep chickens. The ordinance notes that homeowners’ association covenants or lease agreements could still prohibit backyard poultry, regardless of city rules.
Residents would also be required to obtain a permit before keeping hens. That permit would come with a $25 fee and an initial inspection to ensure compliance with the city’s standards.
Edgewater is among several Central Florida communities that have moved to allow backyard chickens under specific regulations. Nearby cities including Orlando, Winter Garden and Clermont already permit residents to keep hens under their own sets of rules.
If commissioners move forward with approval Monday night, the ordinance would take effect with permitting requirements in place for homeowners who wish to keep backyard flocks.