Residents urge council to reconsider ban on backyard chickens; council says issue can be placed on future agenda
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Summary
Two residents urged the New Prague City Council to allow backyard chickens for household sustainability. Council members said the zoning-code rewrite and a future agenda item could consider changes.
Two residents asked the council during public comment to revisit the city’s 2016 prohibition on keeping backyard chickens.
Bridal Paulson of 2060 Fourth Street SW said the city’s population growth has been modest and asked the council to consider allowing hens (no roosters) so children could learn husbandry. Taylor Broom of 617 Fifth Street NE urged the council to permit limited backyard chickens for household sustainability and suggested a public meeting or a “chicken council” to develop rules addressing disease, spacing, and limits.
The residents cited food‑security concerns that have surfaced in recent years and suggested limits on roosters and flock size to address noise and health concerns. In discussion later in the meeting, a council member said the 2016 ordinance clarified that chickens were not allowed in city limits; another council member suggested placing the question on a future agenda or reviewing it as part of the broader zoning-code rewrite.
No action was taken at the meeting; staff said the council could place the topic on a future meeting agenda if at least two council members request it.
