Chickens May Roost in Coronado

The days of clandestine chicken coops in Coronado may soon be over.

At 3 p.m. Tuesday the City Council will reconsider its ban on backyard chickens. If it elects to lift the ban, Rachel Hurst, the city's community development director, has recommended guidelines.

Because “Coronado is essentially an urban community with small lots, and little space between houses,” Hurst suggested that the city allow no more than three chickens per household and that coops are kept in backyards, well away from neighboring properties.

She noted that some cities restrict chickens to coops, but proposed “setbacks and quantity restrictions made this unnecessary.”

Chicken coops would not be allowed in commercial zones or in multi-family residential zones, such as the Coronado Shores.

Keeping hens has become more popular in recent years. Some credit the farm-to-table movement, while other point to the risk of salmonella from commercially produced eggs.

The ban has not stopped residents from keeping chickens. In September, one of them, Leslie Crawford, asked the council to lift the restriction. She is pleased with Hurst’s recommendations.

“They sound fair and reasonable to me,” she said. “All I ever wanted was for chickens to be treated the same way we treat other animals that live in our community.”