Town seeks public input animal farming regulations👉 The discussion has broad implications for all residents because changes to farming regulations in one neighborhood will influence future zoning decisions elsewhere in Town, impacting residents who may want to raise animals or produce their own food.
In 2024, the State acted to protect backyard chicken ownership
In 2024, the Arizona Legislature passed HB 2325, requiring municipalities to allow residents of qualifying single-family homes to keep up to six backyard chickens. The legislation was intended to protect property owners' ability to raise chickens by limiting municipal restrictions. It established a statewide minimum allowance while permitting local governments to regulate such matters as sanitation, enclosures, and nuisances.
👉 The State law was designed to expand opportunities for residents to raise chickens, not to restrict existing farming activities
For decades, Oro Valley permitted farming on properties zoned R1-144, generally lots of at least 144,000 square feet, or approximately 3.3 acres. These properties could accommodate unlimited numbers of poultry, rabbits, and similar small animals, including roosters, although larger livestock were subject to limits. The Town's review of animal-husbandry regulations actually began in 2023, before the state passed its backyard chicken law. Staff sought to expand animal-keeping opportunities on smaller residential lots while protecting neighbors from noise, odors, and other nuisances. However, when Council adopted Ordinance (O)24-08 in September 2024, it restricted activities previously permitted on larger farming properties. The ordinance limited chickens to 24, other small animals to six, prohibited male fowl, and expressly banned on-site animal processing. The processing prohibition followed a question raised during an earlier Council study session, after which staff added the restriction.
👉 None of the town's additional restrictions on large residential farming properties was required by the state legislation.
Existing farms retained their original rights through grandfathering provisions or pre-annexation agreementAn April 20, 2026, zoning interpretation issued by Planning and Zoning Administrator Bayer Vella confirmed that qualifying farms established before the 2024 ordinance may continue operating under earlier animal-raising regulations. These farms can retain unlimited numbers of poultry, rabbits, and similar small animals, including roosters, provided their operations have continued without a six-month interruption. The interpretation also recognizes that certain pre-annexation agreements may provide additional protections.
The Town is now considering increasing the number of animals permitted and potentially allowing previously prohibited farming activities
The Town is considering allowing up to 36 chickens, compared with the current limit of 24, and increasing the limit for other small farm animals from six to nine on qualifying large residential lots. These increases would require unanimous neighbor acceptance, following a regulatory approach used by Pima County. Other options include allowing male fowl up to four months old and permitting on-site animal processing for personal consumption, with commercial processing requiring a Conditional Use Permit. These are preliminary options presented by Town staff, not changes that Council has approved.
One of which is a 2024 ban on animal processing
The Town's April 2026 zoning interpretation confirms that qualifying existing farms may continue raising unlimited numbers of small animals, including roosters, but does not address processing. Based on our review of the Town's zoning history, small-scale on-site animal processing was not explicitly regulated until 2024, when Council adopted an ordinance prohibiting it. This created an unusual situation: Residents may raise chickens for food but cannot processing them on their own property. The Town is now reconsidering that restriction as part of its proposed zoning changes. Meanwhile, we believe some residents who processed animals before the 2024 ban have continued doing so, believing their activities are protected by grandfathered rights. Whether the Town recognizes those protections remains unresolved.
Vice Mayor Elizabeth Robb, who operates a small farming business in the area, believes the Town's 2024 amendments unnecessarily restricted farming activities previously available to property owners. She describes reconsidering those restrictions as "righting a wrong." Robb also sees the effort as a way to improve food affordability and access. "As someone who grows and raises food, I want to ensure that Oro Valley isn't inadvertently restricting anyone's ability to access and/or grow/raise food," she told LOVE. Robb also points to affordability as a growing concern, noting that she has observed more farmers market customers using senior, WIC, and SNAP food assistance benefits.
Residents invited to participate tomorrow night
The Town's neighborhood meeting will take place Thursday, November 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Canyon Del Oro Bible Church, 9200 N. Oracle Road. Residents can review the Town's information page for additional details.
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Note: The staff efforts in this area follow the council discussion last April. Read about that here.
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