Winding River HOA bylaws currently prohibit the keeping of urban backyard chickens in our neighborhood. For our bylaws or CC&Rs to be amended to allow for residents to keep chickens, we would need a super-majority vote of 67% of homeowners in favor. Signing this petition does not mean you have to get your own chickens, only that you would be in support of allowing residents of Winding River, Saint Marys, GA to have hens in their backyards.. An amendment to the Winding River HOA Covenant 3.12 Animals would include an exception for chickens and coops in accordance with the St. Marys Ordinance below.

City of Saint Marys has rigorous expectations including paying a fee, obtaining a license and a permit to allow urban chicken keeping. Below is a link to the City of Saint Marys Ordinance “Sec. 110-62 (a)(4). – R1, Single-Family Residential District .” 

(4) General purpose of gardening, but not the keeping of livestock, or nondomestic animals only laying hen chickens, but no roosters or other fowl, are permitted provided the following minimum requirements are met: A maximum of five laying hen chickens, and their enclosures, shall be 15 feet from property lines and not visible from the street. Laying hen chickens and their enclosures, must be kept in a neat, clean and sanitary condition and be well-maintained and free from offensive odors, excessive noise or any other condition that would constitute a nuisance. Enclosures must be attractive and well-maintained.

Any citizen proposing to have laying hen chickens under this section shall submit the following documents to the building department to indicate compliance with the minimum requirements as noted above:

a. Sketch site plan showing location of the coop and enclosure. All distances between the proposed coop and/or enclosure and the adjacent property lines shall be clearly shown. These dimensions shall be field verified by the building department.

b. Signature of the citizen indicating understanding and compliance with the minimum requirements noted above, or a form provided by the building department.

c. A $10.00 administrative fee will be collected to offset the cost to process and verify that the applicant is in compliance with the minimum requirements as noted herein.

d. Change of ownership of the property shall require a new application for approval.