Chaska council adopts ordinance allowing backyard chickens with 20-foot home setback and two‑year license

CHASKA, Minn. — The City of Chaska City Council on Monday adopted Ordinance 2025-1062 to allow backyard chickens within city limits, setting rules on numbers, location, permitting and enforcement.

The ordinance permits up to five chickens per property, requires a one-time $100 permit fee and pre-permit inspection, and prohibits the sale of eggs and poultry. The council amended the proposed ordinance to add a 20-foot minimum distance from any neighboring principal residence and to set the license term at two years with a $50 renewal fee.

Why it matters: The ordinance creates a citywide regulatory framework for keeping poultry in single-family neighborhoods, while explicitly preserving the authority of homeowners associations and private covenants to restrict chickens on their properties. That creates a mix of city-level permission and private controls that may produce different outcomes neighborhood by neighborhood.

Staff presentation and key provisions Elise (staff member) told the council the draft draws on a 2021 proposal and a city work session in April. She described core provisions: a limit of “no more than five non crowing hens or roosters,” required structures (coop, run, exercise yard) placed in rear yards, accessory-structure setbacks consistent with the city code, and a one-time $100 permit fee. She told the council: “It would be a 1 time fee, not an annual fee.”

The draft also requires review of zoning and code compliance before permit issuance, a pre-issuance inspection to verify coop location and installation, a 10-day cure period for violations before permit revocation, and a provision that allows the city to impound loose birds with a limited reclaim period similar to other impounded pets.

Homeowner associations and private covenants Several residents and council members raised questions about how the ordinance would interact with private covenants and homeowners associations (HOAs). Resident John Brancinski told the council he had followed the item since 2020 and said his “biggest concern” was that the 10-foot accessory-structure setback in the draft is too small for dense Chaska lots. He urged a larger buffer between coops and neighboring homes.

City staff and the city attorney explained the ordinance explicitly states it will not override private covenants or HOA rules; whether a covenant controls in any particular case would be a private matter between a homeowner and the association. As the city attorney summarized, that means the city can issue permits consistent with the ordinance but cannot compel an HOA to change its covenants.

Council debate, amendments and vote Council members discussed alternatives to the 10-foot accessory-structure setback used for sheds and other accessory buildings. Several council members and staff noted many Chaska lots—especially older and downtown lots—are narrow (some 30 feet wide), which constrains how far back and how far from side lot lines coops can be placed. After debate, the council voted to add a 20-foot minimum distance from any neighboring principal residence (measured from the coop to a neighboring home) and to make the license valid for two years with a $50 renewal fee; staff said they would use renewal fees to fund periodic reinspections.

Motion and outcome Council Member Hatfield moved adoption with the two amendments; Mayor Hubbard seconded. The motion passed; the council recorded the ordinance as approved and directed staff to finalize administrative details and the permit application. Staff recommended an effective date of Sept. 1 to allow HOAs and residents time to consider the change and for the city to complete permitting processes.

Public concerns and next steps Speakers urged a larger setback and noted possible resale or nuisance concerns. Supporters and several council members said experience in nearby cities shows backyard chickens can be kept without widespread problems when coops are properly maintained. Staff said permits will require inspections and that complaints will prompt enforcement visits. The council directed staff to notify associations and finalize application and inspection protocols before the ordinance takes effect.

The ordinance text, permit application and implementation timeline will be posted on the City of Chaska website and published as required before the Sept. 1 effective date.