WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — Becky Blackett, a Wheat Ridge resident who owns multiple properties, told the city council on Oct. 13 that she pleaded guilty to creating a neighborhood nuisance after complaints about her rooster’s crowing. Blackett said the prosecutor and code enforcement told her that even limited outdoor time would still leave her vulnerable to future nuisance citations if a neighbor complained.

Blackett told the council she has complied with setback and housing requirements for poultry and proposed the city adopt measurable standards—such as allowable hours or decibel limits—instead of relying solely on neighbor complaints. She said the current enforcement practice produces unequal outcomes depending on which neighbors complain.

Staff and council responses

City attorney and staff explained the separation between judicial decisions and legislative changes: municipal court adjudicates nuisance citations (which can be appealed to county court), while the council can amend the municipal code. City staff said an ordinance draft to clarify poultry rules, including allowing roosters and specifying administrative enforcement rather than the formal court process, has been prepared and will be presented to council for consideration shortly.

Councilors discussed enforcement options and the practical limits of precluding neighbor complaints in an urban environment; staff and the city attorney said the proposed legislative changes could create administrative enforcement alternatives and a clearer code definition of allowed animals and limits.

No formal vote occurred on animal-code language on Oct. 13; the council directed staff to return with an ordinance for future consideration.