Augusta County BOS votes on domestic chicken ordinances

AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - New ordinances are coming in Augusta County regarding domestic chickens.

The Board of Supervisors discussed and voted on changes in the county at Wednesday’s meeting.

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors voted 5-2 on accepting the updates to the domestic chicken ordinances.

Some of those ordinances include two to five-acre lots can have up to six hens, this was increased from four.

Coops and pens are made optional and pausing the issuance of permits during the threat of Avian Flu was removed from the current ordinance.

The changes went to a public hearing where one resident voiced his concerns over the changes.

”It’s harming the citizens of Augusta County the way its worded up right now with the amount of people that are looking to this as either an alternative source to help supplement groceries and or make money,” Jeremey Nance, Augusta County resident said.

The board discussed adding a grace period to the amendment due to recent cases of Avian flu in neighboring counties and to allow HOA’s time to adjust to the changes but one wasn’t added to the motion.

”I think this is an improvement compared to what we have right now. Jeremey doesn’t like to have restrictions and neither do I but this actually loosens restrictions,” Scott Seaton, member of Augusta County Board of Supervisors said.

The two no-votes indicated they would’ve liked to see the grace period added to the ordinance.

An amendment was made to increase the reporting of bird deaths from one to three or more.