ARLINGTON — This city used to be surrounded on all sides by farms.

It retains that agricultural reputation today, but for the would-be farmers in town it hasn’t been easy, at least officially, to raise even backyard chickens.

Or bees. Or ducks, rabbits or any other livestock.

For one thing, people had to have sizeable lots in order to meet municipal codes regarding the setbacks of sheds, chicken coops and beehives.

With the increase of so-called urban homesteads throughout Snohomish County, Arlington City Council is preparing to change those old city codes.

Councilwoman Marilyn Oertle wants to encourage people to grow their own food.

“The economy is still bad. And vegetable gardens and fresh eggs are good,” Oertle said. “The goal and the challenge for the council is to allow people to raise those chickens and still be able to control the odor and noise.”

Longtime resident Neil Knutson got after the council earlier this year when he read a story in The Herald that cited Arlington’s chicken code, which required that henhouses be 25 feet from any property line and 50 feet from any city right-of-way.

“At that rate, only about 10 percent of people in the city could have a chicken,” Knutson said. “Everybody should be able to keep a chicken. They kill slugs, bugs and rodents. They’re great critters.”

Because of Knutson’s interest, the city officials got busy and rewrote the regulations.

When the City Council approves the code changes next month, people will be able to keep seven hens in chicken coops that are at least 10 feet from the houses on adjacent lots.

Chicken houses of any kind have to be less than 7 feet tall and be kept clean to contain dust and disagreeable odors.

And no roosters are allowed, said Kristin Banfield, city spokeswoman.

“Hens don’t need roosters to lay eggs and neighbors don’t need the noise early in the morning,” Banfield said. “But chickens and bees and other creatures are part of a sustainable way of life that benefits the community as a whole.”

People in west Arlington whose property was annexed into the city also must abide by the new codes governing the keeping of livestock, Banfield said. “Basically, though, you can have your animals as long as you take good care of them and your property is not a mess, there’s no odor or loud noise and your animals aren’t getting out of their pens or their fenced areas.”

Teresa Fischer keeps four chickens at her place on the hill above downtown Arlington.

“I got them as chicks in April and I just love them,” Fischer said. “I would like to see people in Arlington raise chickens for eggs to donate to the food bank.”

Knutson, who lives in the Smokey Point neighborhood of the city, recently gave away his chickens.

“They tore up the yard. Practically annihilated it. So I am going to clean up and then get more,” Knutson said.

“Even so, chickens make good pets. They have attitude.”

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.

*Correction, June 29, 2011: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Teresa Fischer’s name in the cutlines.