Committee backs draft farm-animal rules, asks council review and public forum before legislation

The Findlay Planning and Zoning Committee voted to forward a new draft farm-animals ordinance to full council for review and recommended that the administration hold a public forum before any legislation is introduced.

Chairman Brian Bauman summarized a pared-back draft that separates animals into three groups: small farm animals (examples listed: hens, roosters, rabbits, ducks, geese) defined as animals with expected adult weight up to 50 pounds; medium farm animals defined as 50 to 500 pounds (minimum lot size proposed: 1 acre; fences and shelter required to meet code); and large farm animals greater than 500 pounds (minimum lot size proposed: 3 acres). The draft removes specific manure-storage standards and includes an educational exemption for 4-H and similar youth agricultural programs (drafted as §11.58.06).

Bauman and staff explained a grandfathering provision intended to record existing animals so that property records reflect whether a use predated the ordinance; that record would make enforcement easier if a complaint arose later. "If there's an issue 2 or 3 years after an ordinance has passed, it falls on the property owner to prove that they're grandfathered," Bauman said, explaining the paperwork rationale. Committee members debated whether grandfathering should automatically transfer with the property or be limited to the existing owner; law director Rob Feitner noted this is a policy choice and flagged phasing options but acknowledged many members supported grandfathering with the property and that grandfathering could be lost if animals are absent for a year.

The committee unanimously recommended the draft to council with two procedural directions: (1) move the proposed text into chapter 5 of the municipal code (near other animal and nuisance regulations) rather than the zoning chapter to streamline process and (2) instruct the administration to hold a public informational forum and gather public input before legislation is drafted. Bauman moved the committee recommendation; the motion passed.

Committee discussion touched on edge cases raised by emails and residents, including whether pygmy goats or pot-bellied pigs should be treated as small animals; members noted those questions could be addressed in subsequent edits. Several members said the revised noise, waste and odor rules recently proposed by the law director substantially address the enforcement concerns the committee aimed to solve.

The committee directed staff to provide the draft to full council, plan a public forum in October, and return with any changes for formal council consideration.