Oro Valley, AZ Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Oro Valley Town Code Chapter 4 and the Zoning Code regulate keeping of chickens, livestock, and farm animals on residential property. Standard residential zones (R1 through R6) with lots under one acre generally prohibit keeping poultry and livestock. Properties in rural-density residential zones (R-144, which requires a minimum 1-acre lot, and larger) may keep limited numbers of chickens, goats, sheep, and horses subject to setback requirements. Animal shelters and enclosures must be set back a minimum distance from neighboring dwelling units (typically 50-100 feet depending on animal type). Roosters may be prohibited or restricted due to noise in proximity to neighboring homes. Manure management, fly control, and odor mitigation are required for all animal-keeping operations. Feed storage must be in sealed containers to avoid attracting javelina, coyotes, and other desert wildlife common in the Catalina foothills. Commercial livestock operations are not permitted in residential zones. Horses are common in the larger-lot areas of Oro Valley, particularly along the eastern edges near the Coronado National Forest, and are subject to the county's livestock at-large provisions. HOAs in planned communities universally prohibit livestock and poultry regardless of lot size.