Officials peck away at chicken ordinance
Proposal to be discussed at next month’s meeting
The city is considering an ordinance that would allow residents to keep chickens. File photo
WADSWORTH – While a decision on allowing city residents to keep chickens has not been made, the city’s public safety committee is looking at proposed legislation that would permit the animals to be kept within city limits.
Safety Director Matt Hiscock presented the committee with a draft of legislation recommended by the law department.
Under this proposed legislation, city residents would be allowed to keep up to six chickens on their property, but roosters would be prohibited. The chickens would have to be contained in a coop or within a fenced in yard and would not be allowed to roam free. Coops could not be located in a front yard and would also need to be at least 25 feet away from an inhabitable residence.
“Under a section of our current ordinance, we would essentially add chickens to the list of prohibited at large animals,” Hiscock said. “Essentially the owner would have to contain the chickens – it would be like a leash law with dogs.”
While it is uncommon, chickens do have the ability to carry disease, Hiscock said, so the mayor would have quarantine powers and could call for the removal or treatment of chickens or in extreme cases euthanasia where there is a detriment to human health.
Chicken owners violating the city’s code could be found guilty of a minor misdemeanor. The city’s code enforcement officer would be the main person enforcing the code, but police officers would also have that power.
“I thought we had discussed that we didn’t want to put any additional burden on the police department,” Councilor Ralph Copley said. “They have enough to do without having to chase chickens.”
Hiscock said it would be ideal for the code enforcement officer to handle these situations, but added he wanted police officers to have enforcement power in case they were called out to a situation.
Copley said he has heard from only one resident on the matter of allowing chickens within the city.
“She wasn’t for or against it, but just wanted to get more information,” he said. “She is the only person I have heard from.”
Ward 2 Councilor Bob Titus said he has heard from a number of his constituents who are not in favor of permitting chickens within the city.
Committee members and officials agreed they would do some more research on the matter and would discuss it again at their next committee meeting.
There are several residents within the city who are raising chickens, but city officials have agreed not to enforce the current code on them until a final decision about chickens within city limits has been made.
Safety Director Matt Hiscock presented the committee with a draft of legislation recommended by the law department.
Under this proposed legislation, city residents would be allowed to keep up to six chickens on their property, but roosters would be prohibited. The chickens would have to be contained in a coop or within a fenced in yard and would not be allowed to roam free. Coops could not be located in a front yard and would also need to be at least 25 feet away from an inhabitable residence.
“Under a section of our current ordinance, we would essentially add chickens to the list of prohibited at large animals,” Hiscock said. “Essentially the owner would have to contain the chickens – it would be like a leash law with dogs.”
While it is uncommon, chickens do have the ability to carry disease, Hiscock said, so the mayor would have quarantine powers and could call for the removal or treatment of chickens or in extreme cases euthanasia where there is a detriment to human health.
Chicken owners violating the city’s code could be found guilty of a minor misdemeanor. The city’s code enforcement officer would be the main person enforcing the code, but police officers would also have that power.
“I thought we had discussed that we didn’t want to put any additional burden on the police department,” Councilor Ralph Copley said. “They have enough to do without having to chase chickens.”
Hiscock said it would be ideal for the code enforcement officer to handle these situations, but added he wanted police officers to have enforcement power in case they were called out to a situation.
Copley said he has heard from only one resident on the matter of allowing chickens within the city.
“She wasn’t for or against it, but just wanted to get more information,” he said. “She is the only person I have heard from.”
Ward 2 Councilor Bob Titus said he has heard from a number of his constituents who are not in favor of permitting chickens within the city.
Committee members and officials agreed they would do some more research on the matter and would discuss it again at their next committee meeting.
There are several residents within the city who are raising chickens, but city officials have agreed not to enforce the current code on them until a final decision about chickens within city limits has been made.