The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Hawai‘i County Council Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Economic Development on May 20, 2025.
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May 20, 2025, 10:30 a.m.
Hawai‘i County Building
To: Hawai‘i County Council Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and
Economic Development
Ashley Kierkiewicz, Chair
Michelle Galimba, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst
RE: Bill 52 (2025) — RELATING TO HENNERIES
Aloha Chair Kierkiewicz, Vice Chair Galimba and other members of the Committee,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Bill 52 (2025), which would allow people to own backyard hens, geese, ducks, turkeys and other poultry for the purpose of noncommercial egg production in single-family residential, double-family residential, multifamily residential and residential-commercial mixed use zones.
There would be some conditions on where such henneries are allowed. For example, the birds would be limited to two per the first 3,000 square feet of lot area, with one additional bird per 1,000 square feet of lot area.
Grassroot believes this measure would enhance Hawai‘i Island’s self-sufficiency efforts. Raising birds for egg production would also reduce the need for egg imports.
Grassroot suggests striking paragraph (4) of Section 2 of the bill, which would prohibit egg sales, and the word “noncommercial” from the definition of “hennery.”
Instead, backyard henneries should be permitted as a home occupation to allow residents to make a bit of extra income to afford Hawaii’s high cost of living.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Jonathan Helton
Policy Analyst
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
