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Belmont · Building on your lot

Pets, chickens and bees in Belmont

Belmont allows at most 20 adult animals per property; with 5 or more, coops, pens and stables must stay out of required setbacks. Belmont allows 2 horses, cows, sheep, llamas or goats on a lot of at least 1 acre, plus 1 per additional half acre. With a city permit, up to 2 pygmy goats are allowed in listed zones; the pen must be at least 100 square feet.

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Key points

  • Animal limit: Belmont allows at most 20 adult animals per property; with 5 or more, coops, pens and stables must stay out of required setbacks.
  • Livestock: Belmont allows 2 horses, cows, sheep, llamas or goats on a lot of at least 1 acre, plus 1 per additional half acre.
  • Pygmy goats: With a city permit, up to 2 pygmy goats are allowed in listed zones; the pen must be at least 100 square feet.

Each rule below links to the section of the Belmont Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Belmont's code says

Belmont code What Belmont's code adds
Coop setback
  • No part of a coop, cage, pen, stable or runway may be in the required front, side or rear setbacks.
    Applies: Applies to property housing 5 or more adult animals or fowl.
    § 5-32 · code text
    On any property housing five (5) or more adult animals, no part of any such house, coop, cage, stable, barn, shed or runway for such animals or fowl shall be placed within the required front, side or rear setbacks as delineated in the city zoning code.
Large animals
  • At least a 1-acre lot for 2 animals; 1 more animal per extra ½ acre.
    Applies: Applies to horses, cows, sheep, llamas or goats, except pygmy goats.
    § 5-33 · code text
    The minimum lot area upon which any horse, cow, sheep, llama or goat may be kept shall be one (1) acre; and two (2) of such animals may be kept on such a parcel.
  • Up to 2 altered male or female pygmy goats.
    Applies: Applies in the R-1E, R-1H, R-1A, R-1B, HRO-1, HRO-2, HRO-3 and A zones; a permit is required.
    § 5-54 · code text
    Up to two (2) altered male or female pygmy goats shall be permitted in the following zoning districts: R-1E, R-1H, R-1A, R-1B, HRO-1, HRO-2, HRO-3 and A, provided they are contained in appropriate pens or fenced in areas properly sized and constructed, and the area and animals are maintained in a clean, odor-free condition.
  • At most 2 pygmy goats within 10 feet of an adjacent property line.
    Applies: Applies to pygmy goats, unless the adjacent property's owner and occupant consent in writing.
    § 5-55 · code text
    No person shall keep or maintain more than two (2) pygmy goats within ten (10) feet of any adjacent property line, unless written consent of the property owner and occupant of adjacent property allows a variance in the ten (10) foot setback.
  • At least 20 square feet of enclosure per pygmy goat.
    Applies: Applies to pygmy goat enclosures.
    § 5-55 · code text
    In no case shall there be more than one (1) pygmy goat per twenty (20) square feet of enclosure area.
  • No more than 20 adult animals per property.
    Applies: Applies to any property, for animals and fowl covered by the animal-keeping rules.
    § 5-32 · code text
    No more than twenty (20) adult animals shall be permitted upon any property.
  • A pen of at least 100 square feet of land.
    Applies: Applies to pygmy goat pens.
    § 5-55 · code text
    Pygmy goat pens shall consist of a minimum one hundred (100) square feet of land area and may include the pygmy goat enclosure.
Permit
  • A pygmy goat permit from the community development department.
    Applies: Applies to keeping up to 2 pygmy goats in the R-1E, R-1H, R-1A, R-1B, HRO-1, HRO-2, HRO-3 and A zones; no breeding or commercial use.
    § 5-54 · code text
    Any person keeping or maintaining a pygmy goat in areas provided for in subsection 5.54(a) must obtain a permit in writing from the community development department.
  • Planning commission approval is required.
    Applies: Applies to keeping horses, cows, sheep, llamas or goats in a pasture of 2 or more acres.
    § 5-33 · code text
    Subject to the approval of the planning commission, horses, cows, sheep, llamas or goats may be kept in a pasture containing two (2) or more acres.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Belmont?

Belmont allows at most 20 adult animals per property; with 5 or more, coops, pens and stables must stay out of required setbacks. Belmont allows 2 horses, cows, sheep, llamas or goats on a lot of at least 1 acre, plus 1 per additional half acre. With a city permit, up to 2 pygmy goats are allowed in listed zones; the pen must be at least 100 square feet.

General information, not legal advice.

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