[Adopted 12-20-2018 by L.L. No. 1-2024]
It shall be unlawful to cause, permit or allow chickens to be kept in a manner such as to constitute a nuisance or create a hazard to public health or in any manner which either annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers, or tends to annoy, disturb, injure, or endanger the comfort, repose, peace, health, or safety of the public.
A. 
A permit is required to keep chickens. The Village will not allow more than 20 permits to be issued and in use at any given time. Permits will be effective for a period of one year and are renewable indefinitely. Applicants for a permit must complete the designated form(s) and pay the designated annual fee per the Village's fee list.
B. 
Permits may be revoked immediately for failure to comply with this article.
C. 
The completion of Cooperative Extension Backyard Fowl Course is required before applying for a first permit.
D. 
Chickens may only be kept by and on the property or the primary residence of an owner-occupied property.
E. 
There shall be no variances granted to this article by the Zoning Board of Appeals.
F. 
No person shall keep, maintain, house or possess more than eight chickens on any premises.
G. 
No other fowl will be permitted, including turkey, quail, ducks, geese, or guinea fowl.
H. 
In no instance will roosters be permitted.
I. 
Chickens shall be confined at all times to the property on which they are kept, possessed or maintained.
J. 
All pens, coops or houses maintained for the keeping of chickens shall comply with the setback and side yard requirements for residential zones as set forth in the Village Land Use and Development Code.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. III)]
K. 
There shall be no less than two square feet of floor space per chicken in any pen, coop or house in which such chickens are kept. The pen, coop or house shall be large enough to provide adequate access for cleaning and egg collecting.
L. 
Pens, coops or houses shall be suitably screened from the view of surrounding residences and surrounding streets by a fence or by shrubs, unless said pen, coop or house is located in such a manner as not to be visible from the surrounding residences and streets.
M. 
All pens, coops or houses in which such chickens are kept must be cleaned regularly and maintained in a sanitary condition, free of refuse, debris and any other dirt or excess food, so as not to endanger public health and safety.
N. 
Chicken refuse and feed must be stored in metal containers and securely covered with metal covers.
O. 
Any chickens maintained, housed or possessed and all eggs produced from said chickens shall be for the sole use and consumption of the homeowner in possession and shall not be offered for resale.
P. 
Absolutely no slaughtering of chickens is permitted within Village limits.
A. 
All complaints against a chicken permit holder will be investigated by the Dryden Code Officer.
B. 
If the Dryden Code Officer finds the permit holder in violation:
(1) 
The Code Officer can issue an order for:
(a) 
Immediate correction: up to five days; or
(b) 
Thirty-day correction period.
(2) 
All violations will be assessed a $25 fine.
(3) 
A violation file will be started and all violations will be entered into this file
C. 
A chicken permit holder who accumulates three violations will have the permit revoked and a ban against a future chicken permit application.
D. 
A chicken permit may be revoked for failure to correct violations within the proper time frame as set out in Subsection B(1)(a).
A. 
All codes, laws or parts of same in conflict herewith are repealed.
B. 
The invalidity of any section, clause, sentence, or provision of this article shall not affect the validity of any part of this article which can be given effect without such invalid part or parts.
C. 
This article shall become effective immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State.