Woodbury homeowners have a new option for their backyards. On October 21, the Woodbury City Council voted unanimously to allow backyard chickens at single-family detached homes in the R-4 urban residential district, the zoning where most Woodbury families live. Until now, chickens were limited to the city’s R-1 and R-2 rural districts. Permits become available after January 1, 2027, which gives anyone interested a full Minnesota winter to plan.
What the New Woodbury Chicken Ordinance Allows
The ordinance permits up to six hens, and roosters are prohibited. Permits follow a two-year cycle, and hens must be enclosed, kept in sanitary conditions, and managed to prevent odors and other nuisances.
To apply, you’ll:
- Submit coop and site plans
- Complete a city-approved poultry-keeping course
- Allow inspections
On R-4 lots, a coop can be no larger than 32 square feet, and the run can cover up to 120 square feet and stand no more than 7 feet high.
Setbacks, HOAs and Renters: The Fine Print
Coops and runs must sit in the backyard, at least 15 feet from property lines and closer to your own home than to a neighbor’s. On a smaller or oddly shaped lot, those rules can shrink your usable space quickly, so measure before you buy a coop kit.
Renters need permission from the property owner. Homeowners in an association need written HOA approval, which means the city permit is only half the equation. If you live in an HOA neighborhood, review your covenants and talk with your board before you spend money on materials.
Why the Vote Was Closer Than It Looks
The council vote was unanimous, but the path there was not. The Woodbury Planning Commission recommended against the ordinance, and one resident argued that flocks on smaller R-4 lots could be dozens of times denser than on rural properties once setbacks are counted. Supporters countered that responsible residents deserve reasonable rules, and only one of the nine residents who spoke at the council meeting opposed the change.
The council landed in the middle. It added the poultry course requirement, dropped a proposed state premises identification requirement, kept the setbacks and size limits, and declined a proposed cap of 30 permits. Mayor Anne Burt said city staff will review the ordinance after one year and recommend any adjustments.
What This Means for Woodbury Homeowners
Woodbury is joining a long list of Twin Cities suburbs that already allow hens. Figures compiled by the City of Woodbury show Cottage Grove had 40 chicken permits at the end of 2025, Plymouth has issued 70 since 2021, and Blaine has logged 136 registrations since 2015. Those numbers point to steady interest rather than a flood of coops.
For buyers who want a hobby flock, this adds two new questions to a Woodbury home search: does the backyard layout work with the setback and size limits, and does the HOA allow chickens at all? Those answers can vary street by street, even within the same neighborhood. If you’re comparing east metro neighborhoods with this in mind, start here: [INTERNAL LINK: Woodbury neighborhood guide or Woodbury MN listings page].
For current homeowners, the enclosure, sanitation, and nuisance standards set clear expectations on both sides of the fence. Neighbors with concerns now have specific rules to point to, and would-be chicken keepers have a clear checklist to follow.
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