Santa Cruz County, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- SCCC § 13.10.645; § 6.04.164
- General density
- 2 small animals per 1,000 sq. ft.
- Minimum parcel
- 6,000 sq. ft. for any small animals
- Roosters on R-1/RR
- Not allowed
- Coop setback (up to 1 acre)
- 20 ft. to line, 25 ft. to dwelling
Summary
Zoning rules at SCCC § 13.10.645 cap backyard poultry and other small animals at two per 1,000 square feet of parcel in residential and rural-residential districts, ban roosters outright on standard R-1 lots, and require coops set back 20 to 40 feet depending on parcel size.
Small Animals in the RA, PF, RR, and R-1 Districts. "Small animal" means fowl or fur-bearing animals typically raised as outdoor pets or for products such as eggs or meat; includes such animals as poultry, pigeons, rabbits, and chinchilla. ... Minimum parcel size for rooster, peacock, tom turkey, guinea fowl or similar noisy fowl: [RA, PF] 1 acre, [RR, R-1] Not allowed. Maximum density, general: 2 per 1,000 sq. ft. Maximum density for roosters, peacock, tom turkey, guinea fowl or similar noisy fowl: [RA, PF] 4 per parcel, [RR, R-1] Not allowed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5004302; v11 updated 2026-05-19; through 05-19-2026).
Full Breakdown
645 governs animal keeping in non-agricultural zone districts (RA, PF, RR, and R-1), on top of the sanitation and confinement rules in Title 6. 645-1 sets a general small-animal density of two per 1,000 square feet of parcel and a minimum parcel size of 6,000 square feet for keeping small animals at all, defining "small animal" to include poultry, pigeons, rabbits, and chinchilla but not household pets like dogs, cats, or aquarium fish. Noisy fowl, roosters, peacocks, tom turkeys, and guinea fowl, face stricter limits: RA and PF parcels need at least one acre and are capped at four such birds per parcel, while RR and R-1 parcels do not allow them at all.
Coop or enclosure setbacks scale with parcel size: on parcels up to one acre, enclosures must sit at least 20 feet from any property line and 25 feet from any dwelling, on the rear half of the parcel; parcels over one acre need 40 feet from any dwelling or property line, on the rear third of the parcel. 10 SCCC. 164 requires that any chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, other fowl, rabbits, or guinea pigs never run at large, be confined to the owner's property in a predator-proof coop with an enclosed runway (free range is allowed if the birds stay on the property), and that the coop and runway stay clean, sanitary, and free of offensive odor.
Violations & Fines
Keeping small animals above the density and setback standards of § 13.10.645 without an approved conditional use permit is a zoning violation enforced through the County's land use enforcement process; unpermitted coop enclosures may also be denied unless authorized by a variance. Violations of the separate sanitation rule in § 6.04.164 are infractions under SCCC § 6.24.080(A), punishable by a fine of up to $100 for a first offense, up to $200 for a second offense within a year, and up to $500 for each further offense within that year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep on a residential lot in unincorporated Santa Cruz County?
Can I keep a rooster on my R-1 lot?
How far must my chicken coop be from my neighbor's house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Cruz County
How Santa Cruz County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Cruz County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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