Lafayette council approves ordinance allowing up to five hens per household, sets one-year sunset and permit rules

LAFAYETTE — The Malawithia common council voted 5-3 to approve a city ordinance that allows residents to keep up to five hens per property, bans roosters, and imposes permitting and confinement requirements, including a one-year sunset clause for council review.

Council summary and key provisions Council members summarized the ordinance before the vote: residents may keep up to five hens, roosters are prohibited, coops and pens must be set back at least 10 feet from neighboring property lines, and a free permit will be required so the city can track locations. The ordinance includes a one-year sunset so the council may revisit the policy after initial implementation.

Why the ordinance mattered at the meeting Supporters said the rules give homeowners a regulated way to raise a modest number of hens for food and education; opponents warned of noise, sanitation, predators, pests and enforcement challenges in compact neighborhoods.

What animal-control staff said Sarah Goins, chief animal control officer for the city of Lafayette, said the city—s animal-control team supports regulated chicken ownership because an ordinance helps officers enforce standards. Goins described enforcement procedure: animal-control investigations are complaint-driven via the police department nonemergency line (option 6), officers inspect coops against the checklist, and owners may be required to correct violations or rehome animals; in extreme cases the ordinance allows seizure.

Public reaction Speakers were sharply divided by neighborhood and concern type: - Supporters, including Christine Poquette and Claire Freeman, said regulated hens improve food access, allow backyard education, and that comparable ordinances in other Indiana cities have not produced large citywide problems. - Opponents, including speakers from Highland Park and other neighborhoods, raised public-safety and nuisance concerns: Stephanie Hange and Jen Stevens said compact lots and small yards make setbacks and coop concealment difficult, and cited a recent house fire in a hidden chicken coop. Bernie Kroll warned of increased rodent and predator activity and questioned a free-permit model as unenforceable.

Council debate and vote Councilmembers discussed the prior public survey, enforcement capacity and neighborhood differences. Several members said the one-year sunset provision was an important safeguard. The council then voted by roll call: Plinker (Aye), Snyder (Aye), Reynolds (No), Weese (Aye), Brown (Aye), Eulersmeyer (Aye), Williamson (No), Downing (No). The ordinance passed 5 to 3.

What passed and next steps The ordinance requires a free permit; banding or another identification method for birds to support enforcement; a requirement that coops and pens be maintained so as not to create a public nuisance; and a one-year sunset to allow the council to reassess citywide effects. Animal-control staff said they have limited evening coverage (officers through 8 p.m. weekdays, shorter weekend hours) and described typical steps for complaint response: inspect, notify owner, allow time to remedy, and escalate to seizure only if necessary.

Why it matters The vote changes municipal policy on animal-keeping in residential neighborhoods and creates a regulatory pathway for residents to keep small numbers of hens. The one-year sunset gives the council a formal review point; enforcement will be complaint-driven and rely on coordination between the clerk—s permit process and animal-control inspections.

Speakers quoted are listed in the meeting record and attributed to the council hearing.