[Ord. No. 3060 §4, 2-1-2012]
A. The
keeping of chickens shall be allowed on all detached single-family
lots under the following conditions.
1. Permits and fees.
a. Upon application submitted with a ten dollar ($10.00) application
fee per household, City may issue a one (1) year permit if, after
inspection, it is shown that location and facilities provided comply
with all regulations as set out in this Article.
b. Annual renewal application, ten dollar ($10.00) fee and inspection.
2. Number of chickens allowed.
a. No more than four (4) hens shall be allowed for each single-family
dwelling. None shall be allowed in multi-family complexes, including
condos and duplexes.
b. No roosters shall be allowed.
c. Although hens are not considered pets, up to four (4) hens will count as one (1) animal unit when determining the maximum number of pets allowed as set out in Section
205.060.
3. Enclosure/containment requirements.
a. Not permitted to "run at large".
b. May not be kept inside the habitable areas of the dwelling.
c. A coop must be provided with minimum square footage of three (3)
square feet per bird. Design and construction of coop is to be reviewed
and approved by City staff.
d. However, coop may be kept inside the garage (finished or unfinished),
unfinished or non-habitable areas in basement or cellars and non-habitable
accessory structures.
e. Outdoor pen/run must be provided; minimum square footage per bird:
ten (10) square feet.
f. Pen/run may not be located indoors (garage, basement, cellar or accessory
structure). It may not be located in the front or side yards.
g. An outdoor coop and/or pen used exclusively for chickens will not
count towards the maximum number of accessory structures allowed.
h. Coop and outdoor pen/run must be kept in a neat and sanitary condition
at all times, and must be cleaned regularly so as to prevent offensive
odors, insects and disease.
4. Distance regulations.
a. Outdoor pen/run and coop must be situated a minimum of ten (10) feet
from the property line.
b. Notification of neighbor is part of the permit process but support
letters are not needed.
c. Pen and coop design, materials and screening shall be subject to
staff approval for design, materials and location. Appeals to staff's
decision may be made to the ARB.
5. Nuisances. See Section
205.070 Noises and Noxious Odors. Also see Chapter
215 Nuisances addressing noise, smells, cleanliness, manure/droppings.
6. Slaughtering restrictions. Any slaughtering of chickens
shall not be visible on premises.
7. Miscellaneous regulations.
a. May not breed chickens for sale or sell any of their by-products.
b. Chicken feed must be stored in rat-proof containers.
c. Chickens currently kept shall not be "grandfathered" or permitted
to remain after the effective date of this Article unless brought
into compliance.