| Urban Chicken Permit |
56.01 PURPOSE.
The purpose of this chapter is to permit urban chickens in the City.
56.02 DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this chapter the following terms are defined:
B. Failure to pay any application, penalty, re-inspection or reinstatement fee required by this section or City Council resolution;
C. Failure to correct deficiencies noted in abatement notices in the time specified in the notice;
D. Failure to comply with the provisions of an approved mitigation/remediation plan by the City Council;
E. Failure to comply with any provision of this chapter.
4. Notification. A decision to revoke, suspend, deny, or not renew a permit shall be in writing, delivered by ordinary mail or in person to the address
indicated on the application. The notification shall specify reason for action.
5. Effect of Revocation. When an application for a permit is denied, or when a permit is revoked, the applicant may not re-apply for a new permit for a
period of one year from the date of the denial or revocation.
6. Appeals. No permit may be denied, suspended, revoked, or not renewed without notice and an opportunity to be heard is given the applicant or
holder of the permit. In any instance where the Council designee has denied, revoked, suspended, or not renewed a permit, the applicant or holder of
said permit may appeal the decision to the Council within 10 business days of receipt by the applicant or holder of the permit of the notice of the
decision. The applicant or holder of the permit will be given an opportunity for a hearing. The decisions of the Council hearing the appeal, or any
decision by the Council designee which is not appealed in accordance to this chapter shall be deemed final action.
56.05 NUMBER AND TYPE OF CHICKENS ALLOWED.
Permits will be granted only for tracts of land located in residential and agricultural districts as identified in the Code of Ordinances for the City.
56.07 NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY.
A permit shall not allow the permittee to engage in chicken breeding or fertilizer production for commercial purposes.
56.08 ENCLOSURES.
with a minimum of four square feet per bird while minimizing adverse impacts to other residents in the neighborhood.
B. A henhouse or chicken tractor shall be enclosed on all sides and shall have a roof and doors. Access doors must be able to be shut and locked at
night. Opening windows and vents must be covered with predator and bird proof wire of less than one inch openings.
C. The materials used in making a henhouse or chicken tractor shall be uniform for each element of the structure such that the walls are made of the
same material, the roof has the same shingles or other covering, and any windows or openings are constructed using the same materials. The use
of scrap, waste board, sheet metal, or similar materials is prohibited. Henhouses and chicken tractors shall be well maintained.
D. Henhouses, chicken tractors and chicken pens shall only be located in the rear yard required by this Code unless the setback requirements cannot
be met, in which case they may be kept in a side yard but within the required setbacks. No henhouse, chicken tractor, or chicken pen shall be
allowed in any front yard.
E. Henhouses, chicken tractors and chicken pens must conform to the existing City Code pertaining to structures in the applicable zoned district.
56.09 ODOR AND NOISE IMPACTS.
The permittee shall take necessary action to reduce the attraction of predators and rodents and the potential infestation of insects and parasites. Chickens found to be infested with insects and parasites that may result in unhealthy conditions to human habitation may be removed by a person designated by the Council with the assistance of City policy, if necessary.
56.11 FEED AND WATER.
Chickens shall be provided with access to feed and clean water at all times. The feed and water shall not be available to rodents, wild birds, and predators.
56.12 WASTE STORAGE AND REMOVAL.
The henhouse, chicken tractor, chicken pen, and surrounding area must be kept free from trash and accumulated droppings. Uneaten feed shall be removed in a timely manner.
56.13 CHICKENS AT LARGE.
The permittee shall not allow the permittee’s chickens to roam off the permitted tract of land. No dog, cat, or other domesticated animal which kills a chicken off the permitted tract of land will, for that reason alone, be considered a dangerous or aggressive animal or the City’s responsibility to enforce its animal control provisions.
56.14 UNLAWFUL ACTS.
Any violation of the terms of this chapter that constitutes a health hazard or that interferes with the use or enjoyment of neighboring property is a nuisance and may be abated under the general nuisance abatement provision of Chapter 50 of this Code of Ordinances.
The purpose of this chapter is to permit urban chickens in the City.
56.02 DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this chapter the following terms are defined:
- “Chicken” means a member of the subspecies Gallus gallus domesticus, a domesticated fowl.
- “Urban chicken” means a chicken kept on a permitted tract of land pursuant to a permit issued under this chapter.
- “Permitted tract of land” means the tract of land as identified by the application upon which a permit is granted for keeping chickens pursuant to this chapter.
- “Permittee” means an applicant who has been granted a permit to raise, harbor or keep chickens pursuant to this chapter.
- Permit Required. No person shall raise, harbor, or keep chickens within the City without a valid permit obtained from the City Administrator/Clerk under the provisions of this chapter.
- Application. In order to obtain a permit, an applicant must submit a completed application on forms provided by the City Administrator/Clerk and payment of all fees required by this chapter.
- Issuance of Permit. If the City Administrator/Clerk concludes as a result of the information contained in the application that the requirements for a permit have been met, the City Administrator/Clerk shall issue the permit.
- Renewal of Permit. A permittee shall apply to renew his permit every 12 months.
- Denial, Suspension, Revocation Non-renewal. The Council’s appointed designee may deny, suspend, revoke, or decline to renew any permit issued for any of the following grounds:
B. Failure to pay any application, penalty, re-inspection or reinstatement fee required by this section or City Council resolution;
C. Failure to correct deficiencies noted in abatement notices in the time specified in the notice;
D. Failure to comply with the provisions of an approved mitigation/remediation plan by the City Council;
E. Failure to comply with any provision of this chapter.
4. Notification. A decision to revoke, suspend, deny, or not renew a permit shall be in writing, delivered by ordinary mail or in person to the address
indicated on the application. The notification shall specify reason for action.
5. Effect of Revocation. When an application for a permit is denied, or when a permit is revoked, the applicant may not re-apply for a new permit for a
period of one year from the date of the denial or revocation.
6. Appeals. No permit may be denied, suspended, revoked, or not renewed without notice and an opportunity to be heard is given the applicant or
holder of the permit. In any instance where the Council designee has denied, revoked, suspended, or not renewed a permit, the applicant or holder of
said permit may appeal the decision to the Council within 10 business days of receipt by the applicant or holder of the permit of the notice of the
decision. The applicant or holder of the permit will be given an opportunity for a hearing. The decisions of the Council hearing the appeal, or any
decision by the Council designee which is not appealed in accordance to this chapter shall be deemed final action.
56.05 NUMBER AND TYPE OF CHICKENS ALLOWED.
- The maximum number of chickens allowed is 15 per tract of land.
- Only female chickens (hens) are allowed.
- In no case shall a permit be granted for greater that 15 chickens.
Permits will be granted only for tracts of land located in residential and agricultural districts as identified in the Code of Ordinances for the City.
56.07 NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY.
A permit shall not allow the permittee to engage in chicken breeding or fertilizer production for commercial purposes.
56.08 ENCLOSURES.
- Chickens must be kept in an enclosure of sturdy wire fencing at all times. Chickens shall be secured within a henhouse or chicken tractor during non-daylight hours.
- Enclosures must be kept in a clean, dry, odor-free, neat, and sanitary condition at all times.
- Henhouses, chicken tractors and chicken pens must provide adequate ventilation and adequate sun and shade and must be impermeable to rodents, wild birds, and predators, including dogs and cats.
with a minimum of four square feet per bird while minimizing adverse impacts to other residents in the neighborhood.
B. A henhouse or chicken tractor shall be enclosed on all sides and shall have a roof and doors. Access doors must be able to be shut and locked at
night. Opening windows and vents must be covered with predator and bird proof wire of less than one inch openings.
C. The materials used in making a henhouse or chicken tractor shall be uniform for each element of the structure such that the walls are made of the
same material, the roof has the same shingles or other covering, and any windows or openings are constructed using the same materials. The use
of scrap, waste board, sheet metal, or similar materials is prohibited. Henhouses and chicken tractors shall be well maintained.
D. Henhouses, chicken tractors and chicken pens shall only be located in the rear yard required by this Code unless the setback requirements cannot
be met, in which case they may be kept in a side yard but within the required setbacks. No henhouse, chicken tractor, or chicken pen shall be
allowed in any front yard.
E. Henhouses, chicken tractors and chicken pens must conform to the existing City Code pertaining to structures in the applicable zoned district.
56.09 ODOR AND NOISE IMPACTS.
- Odors from chickens, chicken manure, or other chicken related substances shall not be perceptible beyond the boundaries of the permitted tract of land.
- Noise from chickens shall not be loud enough beyond the boundaries of the permitted tract of land at the property boundaries to disturb persons of reasonable sensitivity.
The permittee shall take necessary action to reduce the attraction of predators and rodents and the potential infestation of insects and parasites. Chickens found to be infested with insects and parasites that may result in unhealthy conditions to human habitation may be removed by a person designated by the Council with the assistance of City policy, if necessary.
56.11 FEED AND WATER.
Chickens shall be provided with access to feed and clean water at all times. The feed and water shall not be available to rodents, wild birds, and predators.
56.12 WASTE STORAGE AND REMOVAL.
The henhouse, chicken tractor, chicken pen, and surrounding area must be kept free from trash and accumulated droppings. Uneaten feed shall be removed in a timely manner.
56.13 CHICKENS AT LARGE.
The permittee shall not allow the permittee’s chickens to roam off the permitted tract of land. No dog, cat, or other domesticated animal which kills a chicken off the permitted tract of land will, for that reason alone, be considered a dangerous or aggressive animal or the City’s responsibility to enforce its animal control provisions.
56.14 UNLAWFUL ACTS.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to keep chicken in violation of any provision of this chapter or any other provision of the City Code.
- It shall be unlawful for any owner, renter, or lease holder of property to allow chickens to be kept on the property in violation of the provisions of this chapter.
- No person shall keep chickens inside a single-family dwelling unit, multi-family dwelling unit(s), or rental unit.
- No person shall slaughter any chickens within the City.
- No person shall keep a rooster.
- No person shall keep chickens on a vacant or uninhabited tract of land.
Any violation of the terms of this chapter that constitutes a health hazard or that interferes with the use or enjoyment of neighboring property is a nuisance and may be abated under the general nuisance abatement provision of Chapter 50 of this Code of Ordinances.
