DALLAS, N.C. — Dallas residents can now keep chickens in their yards. But with some limits.
The town of Dallas Board of Aldermen voted 3-2 to allow residents to keep backyard hens, according to Mayor Hayley Beaty.
The Gaston Gazette reports that residents who own backyard hens will have to pay an annual $50 fee “to ensure compliance and accountability.”
For properties up to half an acre, only seven hens are allowed. Beyond half an acre, a maximum of 14 hens is allowed. Roosters are not allowed because of noise concerns, the Gazette reports.
“Our approach to this is to allow Dallas residents to pursue self-sufficiency and sustainable food resources while protecting the peace, safety and quality of life for all of our citizens. The majority of us thought it was a good opportunity for our Dallas residents,” Beaty said.
She told the Gazette that the town board had taken up the issue in May, calling it “Chicken Gate.”
“This is definitely a new thing,” she said. “The reason we did this, we had a lot of people that are interested. We have a lot of younger generation and younger people coming into town that want the opportunity to support them.”
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