Las Vegas council considering expanding resident chicken coops

Las Vegans may soon be able to join the urban chicken-keeping wave — if their neighbors don’t give a cluck.

Las Vegas city officials are mulling new rules that expand the areas where residents can keep chickens. The current proposal would allow up to 10 hens in single-family residential areas if neighbors give the green light to their backyard brood.

Giving neighbors veto power doesn’t sit well with Councilwoman Michele Fiore, who said she’ll push for removal of the consent clause before the council votes this month.

“It’s like death by 1,000 cuts if your neighbors don’t like what you’re doing, and I want to stop that,” Fiore said. “The consent thing’s got to go.”

The city’s existing animal-keeping ordinance requires property owners who keep poultry to obtain written consent from neighbors within 350 feet. Crowing roosters are prohibited.

Under the city’s proposal, residents will be able to keep chickens for their eggs but can’t breed the animals for sale or slaughter.

Some east valley residents approached Councilman Bob Coffin about keeping chickens on their property, and he’s sponsoring the ordinance. Some residents already keep chickens in their yards in residential neighborhoods.

“Let’s add some order to the chaos,” Coffin said.

The city’s proposal requires chicken coops to be kept at least 20 feet from structures on a neighboring property, and the area needs to fall in line with existing city rules for odor nuisances.

City staffers are refining the regulations for coops before a City Council vote, slated for March 21.

Contact Jamie Munks at jmunks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @Journo_Jamie_ on Twitter.