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Yankton County staff to bring proposed chicken regulations back to planning commission after neighbor outreach
Summary
A land-use discussion about allowing backyard chickens in certain rural residential zones was continued; planning staff signaled a conditional-use approach and scheduled the topic for the next planning commission meeting.
The Yankton County Commission heard a discussion about allowing chickens in some rural residential zones and referred the matter back to staff and the planning commission for further work.
Wayne Hodge asked the county for permission to keep a small number of chickens on his rural property. Gary (county planning staff) said staff met with Hodge and discussed options; the matter is on the planning commission agenda for May 13. Gary said staff is leaning toward a conditional-use approach for R-2 and R-3 zones rather than making chickens a permitted use across those zones, pointing to past nuisance complaints from denser subdivisions where small-lot layouts led to problems.
Nut graf: Staff and the planning commission will refine draft rules—such as whether birds must be confined and how to handle neighborhood covenants—before the county considers an ordinance change. Gary said neighbors near Hodge’s property have largely expressed support but that covenants could still restrict activity regardless of county zoning.
Gary told commissioners that the contexts differ across subdivisions: the Riverside and Crestview areas have many small lots and prior nuisance complaints, while the area where Hodge lives is more rural with larger lots and existing wildlife such as wild turkeys. He recommended the planning commission discuss conditional uses and public-notice processes so neighbors can weigh in.
No formal vote was taken; the county will continue review and discuss options at upcoming planning commission and county meetings.
Ending: The item is scheduled for the planning commission’s May 13 agenda and will return to the commission after further work by staff and the planning commission.
