• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds

Council approves backyard chickens, growlers (tap beer to go)

Posted at 1:37 pm July 13, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Mark-Watson-and-Kayla-Wyatt-April-19-2016

Pictured above during an Oak Ridge City Council work session on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, are Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, left, and Kayla Wyatt, an advocate for allowing a small number of hens at Oak Ridge homes. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

An earlier effort to allow backyard chickens in Oak Ridge failed. This one succeeded.

On Monday, the Oak Ridge City Council approved backyard chickens in the second and final vote.

The ordinance change allows up to six female chickens, or hens, at homes in the city, possibly by August 1. Roosters will not be allowed.

Council approved a few amendments to the proposed ordinance on Monday, agreeing to not allow the slaughter of any chickens, as opposed to just hens, and lowering the building permit for a henhouse and fenced enclosure from $50 to $25.

The amended ordinance passed 5-1, with Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch casting the lone “no” vote. Council approved an earlier version of the ordinance in a 5-2 vote in May. City Council member Rick Chinn, who was absent from this week’s meeting, joined Gooch in voting against the ordinance in May.

Under the ordinance, henhouses and a $25 annual permit will be required. Henhouses will not be allowed in front yards. Hens have to be kept in a fenced enclosure at all times, and they must have access to a covered, predator-resistant henhouse.

The Oak Ridge ordinance is based on an amended version of an ordinance that Knoxville adopted in 2010. Officials have said Knoxville, which is about six times as large as Oak Ridge, has issued only about 60 permits for backyard chickens. They expect significantly fewer permits to be issued in Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridge Police Department’s Division of Animal Control will issue permits for the hens, and the Oak Ridge Community Development Department will issue permits and inspect henhouses and chicken fences.

Oak Ridge officials had considered allowing backyard chickens before. In April 2010, the Oak Ridge City Council voted 4-3 against a resolution that would have kept alive a previous proposal.

But there have been significant changes in the city leadership since then, and there was much less public opposition this time. Also, some supporters suggested that other cities like Knoxville have demonstrated, in the past six years, that backyard chickens can be allowed without causing major problems.

Also Monday, the City Council approved an ordinance change that allows growlers, or tap beer to go. That’s a growing field in the craft beer industry, according to the city staff.

The ordinance change that allows growlers is part of an update to the city’s beer ordinance to comply with state law, add new provisions, and modify existing ones. It was approved 6-0 in the first of two readings on Monday. The second and final reading could be next month, in August.

Two businesses intend to sell growlers once the new ordinance is in effect, and other businesses could sell them as well, said Oak Ridge City Attorney Ken Krushenski and Senior Staff Attorney Tammy Dunn.

The ordinance change would allow businesses with proper permits to sell growlers as long as the containers are securely sealed. Growlers can be a half gallon or 64 ounces. (Learn more about growlers here and here.)

Read more about the backyard chicken ordinance on Page 97 of the City Council agenda here.

Read more about the beer ordinance changes on Page 87 of the City Council agenda here.

See previous backyard chicken stories here.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Filed Under: Business, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: backyard chickens, beer ordinance, Division of Animal Control, growlers, henhouses, hens, Ken Krushenski, Knoxville, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Community Development Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, ordinance change, Rick Chinn, roosters, Tammy Dunn, tap beer to go, Warren Gooch

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More Business News

Kairos Power begins construction on demonstration reactor​

Kairos Power has started construction on a test nuclear reactor in west Oak Ridge. The Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor is the first of its type to be approved for construction by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory … [Read More...]

Learn about Oak Ridge history during World War II

You can learn more about the history of Oak Ridge during World War II during a free national park walk through Jackson Square on Thursday, July 18. The walk is offered by the Manhattan Project National Historical … [Read More...]

Legal Aid Society presentation at Lunch with League

Two representatives of Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will be featured at Lunch with the League in Oak Ridge on Tuesday. The two representatives are Mary Michelle Gillum and Paula Trujillo. … [Read More...]

UT Arboretum Society has spring plant sale in April

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have its annual plant sale in Oak Ridge in April. It's the 57th Spring Plant Sale, and it's scheduled for April 12 and 13 at the UT Arboretum at 901 South Illinois … [Read More...]

Three students, schools selected for ORNL FCU art, mural program

Three students and schools have had their art work selected for the ORNL Federal Credit Union's Community Art and Mural Program. Introduced in 2017, the Community Art and Mural Program was created to support … [Read More...]

More Business

More Government News

Election is Thursday

The Anderson County general election and state and federal primary elections are Thursday. Competitive races include the Democratic and Republican primaries for U.S. Senate, Republican primary for Tennessee House of … [Read More...]

Kairos Power begins construction on demonstration reactor​

Kairos Power has started construction on a test nuclear reactor in west Oak Ridge. The Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor is the first of its type to be approved for construction by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory … [Read More...]

County law director dies at 65

Anderson County Law Director Nicholas “Jay” Yeager, of Clinton, died Friday. He was 65. Yeager was assistant attorney in Anderson County from 2001 to 2006, and he has been law director since then. "Mr. Yeager was … [Read More...]

Outdoor Pool to close for season Aug. 12

Indoor Pool to re-open Monday The Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool will closed for the season on Monday, August 12, and the Indoor Pool will re-open Monday, July 29, after being closed for a few months for renovations. The … [Read More...]

Tennis court dances recreate wartime event

Monthly dances by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park recreate the open-air tennis court dances that entertained 75,000 workers and their families in the Secret City during World War II. "Put on your … [Read More...]

More Government

Recent Posts

  • Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival Announces 2025 Storytellers
  • Laser-Engraved Bricks Will Line Walkway of New Chamber Headquarters
  • Democratic Women’s Club to Discuss Climate Change, Energy and Policy
  • Estate Jewelry Show at Karen’s Jewelers Features Celebrity Jewelry
  • Keri Cagle named new ORAU senior vice president and ORISE director
  • ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal+ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal More than $1 million raised in past 10 years benefits United Way and Community Shares Oak Ridge, Tenn. —ORAU exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 in donations as part of its internal annual giving campaign that benefits the United Way and Community Shares nonprofit organizations. ORAU has raised more than $1 million over the past 10 years through this campaign. A total of $126,839 was pledged during the 2024 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign. Employees donate via payroll deduction and could earmark their donation for United Way, Community Shares or both. “ORAU has remained a strong pillar in the community for more than 75 years, and we encourage our employees to consider participating in our annual giving campaign each year to help our less fortunate neighbors in need,” said ORAU President and CEO Andy Page. “Each one of our employees has the power to positively impact the lives of those who need help in the communities where we do business across the country and demonstrate the ORAU way – taking care of each other.” ORAU, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, provides science, health and workforce solutions that address national priorities and serve the public interest. Through our specialized teams of experts and access to a consortium of more than 150 major Ph.D.-granting institutions, ORAU works with federal, state, local and commercial customers to provide innovative scientific and technical solutions and help advance their missions. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakRidgeAssociatedUniversities Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/orau Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orau ###
  • Children’s Museum Gala Celebrates the Rainforest
  • Jim Sears joins ORAU as senior vice president
  • Oak Ridge Housing Authority Receives Funding Assistance of up to $51.8 Million For Renovating Public Housing and Building New Workforce Housing
  • Two fires reported early Friday

Search Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2025 Oak Ridge Today