McMurray Hatchery

Buff Orpington, a breed that "tends to be quieter"

There are over 9,000 parcels in Carlsbad's single-family residential zone where up to 25 backyard chickens can be kept. Surprisingly, it's neighbors in one of the city's few agriculturally-zoned neighborhoods who are calling for limits. 

"Chicken noise" from a home in an adjacent single-family residential zone is forcing them to run their air conditioners and close their windows for relief, they say.

A group of seven inhabitants of Pacific Estates, a development of 19 houses at the corner of El Camino Real and Carlsbad Village Drive, say homes in the area are too close together to allow "chicken ranches" in any zone.

Carlsbad may impose new rules in the residential zone (R-1)that could be extended to small agricultural zones (R-A).

Now the city may impose new rules in the residential zone that could be extended to the handful of small agricultural zones, not all of which border El Camino Real and Carlsbad Village Drive.

The chicken issue was included as part of a recent citywide code cleanup affecting the residential zone, but the city council instead plucked it out for a future stand-alone amendment because who knew about it?

"If I could find 50 — I'll even be gracious — 20 people that are aware that this could potentially be happening to their property, I would be surprised," said councilmember Carolyn Luna.

"The amount of parcels affected I think dictate that this should be a stand-alone amendment and not lumped in as a cleanup." 

Behind the Pacific Estates neighborhood in the residential-agricultural (RA) zone is a house on Lafayette Court in the residential zone (R-1) that keeps at least 18 chickens, according to Julianne Adamik, one of the neighbors urging the city to limit backyard poultry.

"When the sun shines, the chickens loudly cackle and squawk. They also get into fights."

The neighbors say they're not against having a few backyard chickens as long as it's "a breed that tends to be quieter than most." .

Carlsbad currently sets no limits on the number of chickens that can be kept and permits poultry in the R-1 zone based on the precedent of other zones. (San Diego County allows up to 25 chickens as long as they are at least 50 feet from any building used as a residence).

The vagueness has complicated code enforcement issues, which the city hopes to clear up with amendments that will be brought back after more outreach.

The city is proposing two tiers of restrictions on the types of poultry (no roosters) and the number of birds permitted. The number allowed is based on how far the chicken coop is from property lines (the zone setback). Tier one would allow five poultry or less with a 15-foot setback from a habitable structure on an adjoining parcel. Tier two would allow 6-15 birds with a 40-foot setback from a habitable structure on an adjoining parcel.

For both tiers, an enclosure, which can't be located in the front yard and must be kept clean, is required.

San Diego, Oceanside, Encinitas, and other jurisdictions limit backyard poultry. The only city to permit roosters is Encinitas, where residents can keep up to 25 chickens on larger lots in specified residential zones and as many as 100 as an approved accessory use.

While the proposed changes only apply to the single-family zone, opponents are seeking further limits on poultry in the agricultural zone.