CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Tuesday night Horry County leaders passed a measure regarding whether or not people should be allowed to have chickens at their homes.
The ordinance passed first reading eight votes to four. Now that the ordinance passed first reading, people who want to have chickens in their back yards are one step closer to having the chance to apply for them.
Once a person applies through the Board of Appeals and pays the $200 fee, their neighbors would be notified. County leaders say that would give them the chance to voice their opinion, and after community input, the board would then make the final decision.
County officials say the $200 will go to putting an ad in the newspaper to let people know about public comment and to mailing letters to surrounding neighbors to let them know about the public comment.
In the Infrastructure and Regulation Committee meeting a few months ago, a mother spoke and asked the committee if they’d consider an ordinance like this because her son could only eat organically raised chickens due a medical condition.
“She said, you know, where I live, there’s no way that legally I can have chickens in my back yard, and so we said there should be a way to get a special exception under specific guidelines for her to be able to have chickens,” said Horry County Councilman Johnny Vaught.
For the new rules to go into effect, the ordinance will need to pass two more readings from full council.
