STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — Stuart residents can weigh in on whether backyard hens should be allowed in the city as officials consider a possible ordinance.
The city’s survey asks residents whether they support allowing up to four hens at homesteaded single-family homes and whether they would consider keeping chickens themselves. The responses will help city leaders decide whether to adopt an ordinance and what safeguards to include.
The proposal would prohibit roosters and limit eligibility to homesteaded single-family homes; duplexes would not qualify. Chickens would have to stay on the property in a coop or pen, with no free-roaming. The city is also considering an annual permit and inspections, screening for coops and pens, required setbacks from property lines and nearby homes, and rules to prevent pests and odors…