Kent County does not zone backyard chickens or livestock. Whether you may keep them is decided by your city, village, or township under Michigan's Zoning Enabling Act. The county only bars livestock from running at large.
In Kent County virtually all land lies within a city, village, or zoned township. Under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MCL 125.3101 et seq.), those local governments -- not the county -- decide whether backyard chickens, goats, or other livestock are permitted, in what numbers, and with what setbacks. Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Wyoming and each township each set their own rule, so check your municipal zoning code. The county's role is limited: the Animal Control Ordinance's Section 11(f) requires owners to keep livestock or poultry from running at large on property without the owner's consent, and the Health Department regulates related sanitation.
Zoning violations are enforced and penalized by your city or township. Letting livestock run at large is a county municipal civil infraction ($100 first offense, $200 repeat within five years).
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Kent County, MI
Backyard composting is allowed and encouraged in Kent County. Michigan law bans yard clippings from landfills, and the Kent County Department of Public Works...
Kent County, MI
Kent County has no artificial-turf ordinance. Whether synthetic grass is allowed in a front yard is a city or township zoning and property-maintenance questi...
Kent County, MI
Kent County has no native-plant ordinance. Whether a naturalized or prairie-style yard is allowed is set by your city or township, and must be reconciled wit...
Kent County, MI
Collecting rainwater is legal in Michigan and Kent County places no restriction on it. Rain barrels and cisterns for lawn and garden use are allowed; only cr...
Kent County, MI
Kent County sets no lawn-watering schedule. Michigan is not a drought-restricted state, so there is no county odd/even or day-of-week watering rule. Any limi...
Kent County, MI
Under Michigan's Noxious Weed Act, a landowner must destroy noxious weeds before they go to seed. Enforcement runs through a local noxious-weed commissioner ...
See how Kent County's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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