Please show your support by signing this petition as well as appearing at the City Council Meeting scheduled for 7:00 on August 11th, 2016.  I'm writing to request that the community support the proposed change to the City Code regarding keeping hens in backyards.  We need to show the City Council that we support the proposed change to the Animal Keeping City Zoning Code that would allow for smaller, single houses to keep up to 6 hens.  We appreciate the hard work and investigating that Code Enforcement and the City Planning Commission has performed to create this proposal.  The proposal will be voted on by the City Council Members.    Please sign the petition in favor of the proposed zoning changes and show your support at the City Council Meeting scheduled for 7:00 pm August 11th, 2016.   Location: Citrus Heights Community CenterAddress: 6300 Fountain Square Drive, Citrus Heights, CA 95610 ** You can read an abbreviated summary written & posted by the Citrus Heights Sentinel on 7/9/16 here:  New chicken-keeping rules to be voted on by city council next month:  Following a recommendation by the planning commission last month, the Citrus Heights city council is set to hear proposed changes on August 11 that would allow chickens to be kept on smaller residential lots. Current regulations do not allow chickens to be kept on residential parcels under 10,000 square feet, but proposed changes would allow up to six hens to be kept on such lots. According to a news update posted on the City’s website, the proposed hen-keeping changes came about after “an increase in the number of requests” from residents who wanted to keep chickens. ** The proposed zoning regulation would include these specifics:  106.42.030 - Animal Keeping 10 A. Exception. Subject to the keeping standards listed in Section 106.42.030.G, up to six hens may be kept on residentially zoned lots less than 10,000 square feet only if the property is developed with a detached single-family residence. Properties 10,000 square feet or larger, or within an RD-1 or RD-2 zoning district are not limited to six. G. Small lot Hen keeping standards. In addition to the standards listed in 106.42.030.E, the keeping of hens on lots less than 10,000 square feet shall comply with the standards as listed below: Containment. Hens shall be kept within a coop from sunset to sunrise. Hens may roam free within a fully fenced rear or side yard area during daylight hours. Design. The coop shall be designed and constructed such that hens are securely contained. The coop shall be designed with materials such as hardware cloth or poultry wire that will prohibit predators yet allow the flow of air. Height Limit. A coop shall have a maximum height of 6 feet. Maintenance. The coop shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. All feed and other items associated with hen keeping shall be kept in secured containers to minimize contact with rodents. Noise. Hens shall not produce continuous, excessive noise causing unreasonable disturbance to residents of adjacent properties, pursuant to the standards of the CHMC Section 8-44.3. Setback requirements. Coops shall be confined to the rear and interior side yard with the minimum setbacks as listed below; greater distances are encouraged where practicable. Minimum of 5 feet from side and rear property lines; and Minimum of 20 feet from any habitable structure on an abutting parcel. Slaughter. No hen shall be slaughtered on any developed lot used exclusively for residential purposes. The entire proposed zoning code can be found here: http://www.citrusheights.net/DocumentCenter/View/5012 Why Keep Hens?  * Fresh Eggs = Greater Nutrition & Lower Grocery Bills * Teach Your Family Where Food Comes From * Chickens Make Excellent Pets  * Caring for Chickens is Easy * Chickens Will Eat Your Bugs * Weed Control & Chicken Poop is Excellent Fertilizer * Cut Down on Food Waste * Chickens are Therapeutic = Simpler Times * Inexpensive & Fun Hobby * Share Excess Eggs   WE LOVE HENS!