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Wasted Tax Dollars on the San Mateo Chicken Police

Original post made by Jessica J. Holcombe, another community, on Nov 9, 2009

I read the wonderful article, "Your Own Backyard," about the growing popularity of backyard chickens throughout the County. For that reason, I was shocked to receive a letter from the San Mateo County Planning & Building Department threatening to fine me about $250 followed by hearings for the 4 chicken on my 1/2 acre in Emerald Hills. What's more: I learned from my neighbors that the County has been zealously policing my property, trespassing through my backyard on two afternoons while we weren't home, all in search of the chickens. One of my neighbors told me that a County official by the name of Troy even came onto his property to interrogate him about our chickens. My neighbor asked him point blank, "Doesn't the county have anything better to do with my tax dollars?" I completely agree. When I called the Planning & Building Department to find out what was going on, this same official, Troy, answered by saying, "We were just talking about you"-as if the Department had nothing better to do. With Atherton, Menlo Park, Woodside, and Redwood City allowing backyard chickens, I attended a Board of Supervisors meeting last week to request an amendment to the "no chickens" ordinances and to stop the witch hunt for chickens in unincorporated areas such as Emerald Hills.

Comments (5)

Posted by Sean Howell
Almanac staff writer
on Nov 9, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Sean Howell is a registered user.

Jessica: A quick check of the San Mateo County code seems to indicate that you can keep chickens, as long as they're not deemed a health or safety hazard. You just have to apply for a permit.

Web Link

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Posted by Thomas Kriese
a resident of another community
on Nov 10, 2009 at 6:00 am

Jessica, I agree its a waste of resources to single out your chickens for $250 in revenue. Let's get them legalized!

Sean, it looks like the link is to the City of San Mateo, not the county. Has anyone been able to find the county ordinance that forbids chickens in the backyard (I'm having a hard time finding it online)?

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Posted by Interested
a resident of another community
on Nov 10, 2009 at 10:18 am

Typical of the County to start crowing about the need for a permit.....


Sorry, couldn't resist it.

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Posted by Sean Howell
Almanac staff writer
on Nov 10, 2009 at 11:47 am
Sean Howell is a registered user.

Thomas, thanks, you're very right. Spent some time checking the county code, and I also had a hard time coming up with anything related to chickens in the ordinance.

Here's a link to the county code:

Web Link

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Posted by Frustrated
a resident of another community
on Nov 10, 2009 at 12:33 pm

My neighborhood has an over crowding of people in living in unhealthy, unsanitized, unheated, non-code-complying structures. The county official told me this was not a priority. Glad to see the chickens are something the county can handle.

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