Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitted
- Gardens, greenhouses, animal husbandry, sale of produce/animals
- Containment
- Animals must stay within property boundaries
- Waste
- Removed promptly to prevent odor
- Signage cap
- 2 sq ft, non-illuminated
- Applies to
- 3 designated SFR Land Use Districts only
Summary
Backyard chickens, gardens and other animal husbandry are a permitted accessory use inside the borough's designated Single-Family Residential Land Use Districts, Canoe Lake Subdivision, Chugach View Estates and Wilderness East Subdivision, under § 17.75.060(B)(3). The use must stay clearly secondary to the home, animals must be kept inside the property line, and waste has to be removed promptly to prevent odor.
Agriculture, such as gardens, greenhouses and animal husbandry including raising produce or animals for sale, subject to the following conditions: ... The agricultural use of the dwelling unit, detached appurtenances and the land is clearly incidental and subordinate to its single-family residential use. ... The agricultural use is conducted and maintained in a safe, neat, orderly, clean and humane condition. Animals must be maintained within the property boundaries. Waste must be removed in a timely fashion to prevent odor and unsanitary conditions.
Full Breakdown
035 currently reaches only Canoe Lake Subdivision, Chugach View Estates and Wilderness East Subdivision, not the borough at large. Six conditions apply. The agricultural use must stay clearly incidental and subordinate to the residential use of the dwelling and land. It must be conducted in a safe, neat, orderly, clean and humane condition, with animals kept within the property boundaries and waste removed in a timely fashion to prevent odor and unsanitary conditions. Traffic generated cannot exceed what a single-family neighborhood would normally see, and equipment or operations cannot create noise, dust, vibration, glare, fumes, odors, drainage, runoff, contamination, pollution, nuisance or a health hazard that violates other government rules or is objectionable to normal senses off the property.
Outdoor storage of equipment is not permitted to be required for the use, and any sign advertising the agricultural use is capped at two square feet, non-illuminated, mounted flat on the dwelling's wall, combined with any home-occupation signage under the same two-square-foot limit.
Violations & Fines
An agricultural or livestock use that stops being clearly secondary to the residence, lets animals roam beyond the property line, or creates odor, noise or unsanitary conditions violates § 17.75.060(B)(3) and the conformance requirement in § 17.75.040. Under § 17.75.190, this is a borough infraction, with remedies and penalties under MSB Chapter 1.45 capped at a $1,000 fine per § 1.45.080(A).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens in my Mat-Su neighborhood?
Does the borough set a limit on how much waste can build up from backyard animals?
Can I sell eggs or produce from a backyard agricultural use in these districts?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Matanuska-Susitna Borough
How Matanuska-Susitna Borough compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Matanuska-Susitna Borough to another location·View the Alaska animal ordinances overview
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