Despite a lot of contention around the issue, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance Tuesday that limits the number or roosters people can have based on the size of their property.
The board was looking to address concerns about noise and cockfighting.
When the ordinance goes into effect, properties of less than 1 acre in areas not zoned for agricultural uses will not be allowed to keep any roosters. Properties less than 1 acre in agricultural zones can have one rooster; properties 1-5 acres can have two roosters; and properties larger than 5 acres can have up to five roosters.
This ordinance also creates a rooster keeping operation permit and people on qualifying properties more than 1 acre can apply to keep up to 25 roosters.
Several community members expressed support for the ordinance, saying this will help to reduce cockfighting — and illegal activities associated with cockfighting events — and noise and public health concerns.
“We don’t need medieval forms of entertainment in Santa Barbara County like cockfighting,” Philip Seymour said during public comment. “But even aside from that, it’s good to provide some minimum standards.”
“I’m thankful a proposed rooster ordinance has reached the Board of Supervisors and support these initial steps,” Susan Ashburg said in public comment. “I live in Cebada Canyon [near Lompoc], where we are used to the sounds associated with ag-1 properties. We have horses, a few cows, goats, but nothing prepared us for the 24/7 sound of roosters. This has become a nuisance, especially in a residential area like an [Existing Developed Residential Neighborhood].”
There were also commenters who currently raise roosters and opposed plans to limit the number.
“Raising meat chickens involves batches of 50 to 200 birds at a time — half of which are roosters,” Katherine Anderson, owner of Blue Oak Ranch in Goleta, wrote in a public comment letter. “In practice, chickens are raised in staggered batches one to several weeks apart. As such, I could have up to 600 chickens ranging in age from one week to 8 months of age, depending on the breed.”
Anderson also wrote about the importance of roosters in breeding and genetic conservation, adding that this local conservation allows for local poultry sourcing for FFA and 4-H projects.
Others spoke and wrote about how animal and rooster keeping honors their traditions.
“For centuries, those who raise, breed, and work with animals have been revered and lauded for what they do. Today, our rights to own and raise animals are under attack by your Board of Supervisors and departments,” a group of local residents wrote in a public comment letter to the county. “For all of us, our animals are part of a very important aspect in our lives. Our animals are a reminder of our ancestral cultures and traditions.”
At one point during the meeting on Tuesday, several audience members began yelling out at the Board after a public commenter claimed that speakers in support of the ordinance were being given more time to talk than those against it.
Each person speaking during public comment was given two minutes to speak, although the Board did ask follow-up questions of some speakers.
After Board Chair Steve Lavagnino called for order, about a dozen people left the meeting as they continued to yell, saying they were going to sue and claiming the ordinance was “unconstitutional.”
“I just want to remind everybody that this is about roosters,” Lavagnino said before calling for security to “expedite” them out of the room.
“We’re often required to make rules up here that cover a wide swath because we have to bring some scofflaws and people that just have ill intentions — a few — sometimes you have to make rules that unfortunately impact others that might not be covered under the same umbrella,” Lavagnino said. “I just can’t see the argument for having dozens and dozens and dozens of roosters.”
The Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 in to approve the ordinance, with Supervisor Bob Nelson voting against it.
“I obviously know that there’s a lot of passion in this room for [raising chickens and roosters], and they don’t want that hobby to go away, so there’s where I’m trying to square that,” Nelson said.
“If you can’t do that on ag-zoned property in Santa Barbara County, where can you do that? I guess we make that activity illegal in our county and that’s what’s at risk today.”
The ordinance does not apply to members of a local chapter of 4-H, Future Farmers of America, or other educational poultry projects, as long as the number of roosters does not exceed the numbers specified in project documentation.
The new system includes an annual operating permit fee of $182 for rooster keeping operations and a complaint investigation fee of $138 per hour for justified complaints. Violations would be treated as infractions with fines up to $500 and potential civil proceedings, according to the county.
“The Board of Supervisors took a strong stand for maintaining the quality of life for rural Santa Barbara residents and for targeting the illegal activity of cockfighting by passing this important anti-cruelty ordinance,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for Humane Economy, in a press release. “Cockfighting is rampant throughout California, and action by local governments are needed to prevent cruelty and the wide range of crimes entangled with it.”