Clarence Town Code prohibits keeping chickens in the Residential Single-Family (R-SF) zone unless the parcel is at least 5 acres or is located in the Agricultural District. Residents on smaller residential lots have applied for ZBA variances; outcomes have been mixed since 2022.
The Town of Clarence regulates animal keeping under its Zoning Code (Chapter 229 / Town Code chapters referenced via eCode360). In the R-SF Residential Single-Family district — Clarence's most common residential zone — chickens, ducks, and other poultry are not a permitted accessory use unless the parcel is at least 5 acres or is located within the Agricultural Zoning District. Residents on smaller R-SF lots must seek a use variance from the Clarence Zoning Board of Appeals. ZBA meeting minutes from 2022 onward show repeated variance requests for backyard chickens on parcels smaller than 5 acres; the ZBA has approved some and denied others based on lot configuration, neighbor input, and coop placement. The Food Policy Council of Buffalo and Erie County tracks chicken regulations across Erie County municipalities and notes Clarence's relatively strict approach.
Keeping chickens or poultry in R-SF without a variance is a zoning violation. Town Code Enforcement issues notices and requires removal within a set period (usually 30 days); continued violations result in court citations and per-day fines under the general penalty.
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