Surry County, NC Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

The zoning code's use table labels this entry "Livestock production and sales non-farm," matching the defined term LIVESTOCK, NON-FARM elsewhere in the code, and it is the closest provision to a general livestock-keeping rule for anyone not operating a bona fide farm exempt from zoning. Under § 154.008(C)(42)(a), all structures, parking areas, loading areas, storage areas and outdoor assembly areas tied to the operation must sit back at least 75 feet from any property used or zoned for residential or agricultural purposes, livestock waste must be managed so it does not spread to adjacent properties, at least 80% of existing vegetation in the area where animals are kept must be preserved, and traffic flow from state-maintained roads has to be considered.

Subsection (c) requires buffers meeting the county's general § 154.015 screening standard plus a security fence at least five feet high around the area where livestock is kept, specifically to keep animals confined and off neighboring land. Subsection (d) adds an operational duty: the site must be run so noise and dust, including from unpaved storage areas, do not adversely impact adjacent properties. Someone simply keeping a handful of hens or a couple of goats purely for personal use, with no production or sale involved, sits outside this section's plain wording, since it targets "production and sales."