For many residents of Longmont, CO, backyard chickens are not just birds; they are beloved pets that bring great joy and companionship. However, the current Longmont municipal code regulating backyard hen ownership is excessively restrictive and allows neighbors to exert undue control over one's private property.

The existing provisions in Longmont's backyard hen ordinance require neighbor approval for backyard chickens to walk freely inside your fenced yard (like your dog), or to place a coop next to any structure in your yard.   These requirements allow a neighbor to effectively block a Longmont resident from having backyard hens. The right to have chickens should not hinge on the whims of our neighbors.

It's time for the Longmont City Council to revisit and amend the backyard hen code. Changes should focus both on acknowledging chickens as pets,  loosening the code's constraints around chicken coop placement in small yards and allowing hens to walk freely within the confines of a secure yard. We also need to eliminate the undue power given to neighbors over our property rights.

By signing this petition, you are supporting a fairer approach to backyard hen ownership that respects chickens as pets, chicken health and pet owner's rights. Join us in urging the Longmont City Council to update these outdated regulations!