A second public hearing of Cobb County’s 2020 Code Amendments was held today by the Board of Commissioners. Dozens of people spoke in favor to keep a proposed ordinance banning the sale of dogs and cats at pet stores. Other amendments debated include changes to rules for backyard chickens and short-term rentals. 

• Commissioners voted before the public hearing to withdraw the proposal to ban selling cats and dogs at pet stores. The vote was split 3-2 with Commissioner Bob Ott breaking the tie between commissioners JoAnn Birrell and Keli Gambrill, who voted to withdraw the code amendment, and Lisa Cupid and Chairman Mike Boyce, who voted in opposition to withdrawal. 
• The rules for backyard chickens were amended so that people with fewer than 80,000 square feet can keep one chicken for every 5,000 square feet in their backyard without seeking a permit from the Board of Commissioners.
• The BOC held off on an amendment that would make it more difficult for property owners to rent their homes on a short-term basis, citing that short-term rentals are currently being discussed at the General Assembly (HB 523).