The San Leandro Municipal code prohibits residents from keeping animals, other than dogs, cats, potbellied pigs and caged birds at home. Animal husbandry is only permitted in the Mulford Gardens neighborhood of San Leandro. However, there is a growing movement, in particular in the north area, to change the code to allow residents throughout the city to keep chickens (but not roosters) and bees. Most cities around us make such allowances.
At the last City Council meeting the matter was sent to the Rules committee – though it’s a the bottom of their list. Council woman Souza complained that the Council had dealt with the matter a few years ago – she clearly doesn’t want it revisited. But what do you think? Should we allow chickens and bees in San Leandro? Answer the poll and add your comment below.
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This is way too broad of a question, and they should be separate issues.
Also, this issue was NOT visited a few years ago, the 4H kids who brought it to the council, did research, and did a presentation to the council were told, quite dismissively, that the council was too busy to discuss it.
The City Council did NOT deal with this a couple of years ago. What happened was that members of the EastHills 4-H Club spoke during public comments at the January 5, 2009, meeting of the San Leandro City Council. The members spoke in favor of allowing chickens to be raised in residential areas with reasonable restrictions (proximity, permits for selling eggs, ban on roosters, etc.)
Resident Scott Terry also spoke in favor of being allowed to keep chickens and bees in residential areas.
According to the minutes of the meeting,
“City Manager Steve Hollister indicated that City staff would look into the possibility of
amending the ordinance relating to chickens.” And there it died. Until the July 5, 2011, City Council meeting.
Actually, it came up in one later boat meeting. The 4H folks were there to hear news, but it was simply Mayor Santos telling the people that the city was too busy to consider the matter. And that was that.
Why would Councilmember Souza have any issue with this being discussed?
Residents should be able to keep rabbits, geese, ducks, chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, quail, pigeons, small goats, cats, dogs, turtles, fish and frogs; subject to the county standards for space. There should be an animal husbandry accreditation and an annual fee for the animals kept.
When my neighbors decided to build a chicken house with rooster and hens right underneath my window, I knew I had to learn to live with it. But after several months of seeing these chickens chased and harassed by their dogs, I started having to look the other way. It was pure torture and I couldn’t avoid it. I was concerned but what can a person in Mulford Gardens do, since it is allowed. So yesterday, the dog killed the main hen. So now every time I look out my window, I have to relive the terrible scream that poor animal let out while the dog killed her. I guess the humans were busy in their house, because after the flys and bugs started collected around the dead animal, we had to call. I couldn’t take it any more.
I would love to be able to have chickens in San Leandro. They are quieter than dogs (not that I have anything agaist dogs) and they are harmless pets that lay tasty eggs that are safer than the store bought variety. I do think they should be kept a certain number of feet from other people homes, that they should have to be enclosed (this would have helped that poor chicken in mulford gardens that was killed by a dog) and that we shouldn’t allow roosters. If anyone is working to change the law please contact me as I would love to help.
I planted my own garden for the first time this year and would love to also have fresh eggs at home. I definitely think that the city ordinance should be changed.
Living off of Davis street on Dabner a year back, there was a couple who had multiple roosters and chickens that would hang out in their front yard. Also the Alvarado area by the beauty salon, people have chickens roaming around their front yards.