Resident urges commission to allow backyard chickens; staff asked to draft policy

A Hays resident urged the City Commission to permit backyard chickens inside city limits and asked the commission to consider a permitting framework that would limit the number of birds and require basic coop standards.

Tina Sarver presented a pros-and-cons memo and said she had circulated a petition with "several hundred signatures." She recommended a permit system with an annual fee, a cap of about five birds per household, and basic standards for coops and animal care to reduce nuisance and abandonment. Sarver said allowing small-scale poultry could create opportunities for youth 4-H participation and give city residents a chance to raise poultry responsibly.

Commissioners asked questions and voiced general support for a cautious approach. Commissioner Reeder asked what implementing the change would require from staff; a city staff member advised a "minimalist" initial framework, with the possibility of licensing if problems arose later. The staff suggested bringing a proposed policy to a work session to allow public input and refinement.

Commissioner comments ranged from personal experience raising chickens to concerns about odor if numbers are excessive. Commissioners and staff did not vote on an ordinance or amendment that night; instead the commission directed staff to prepare a proposed policy and present it at a work session for public comment.

Next steps: staff will draft a proposed permitting policy that outlines allowable numbers, coop standards, and enforcement mechanisms and bring that proposal to a future work session for the commission to consider and for public input.