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Bellbrook council sends proposed animal‑ordinance zoning changes to planning board, directs staff to draft advisory ballot on poultry
Summary
After extended debate, Bellbrook City Council voted to send a proposed zoning change that removes poultry from the draft definition of small livestock to the Planning Board, and separately directed staff to prepare advisory ballot language for May 2026 asking voters whether poultry should be permitted.
Old‑business discussion on the draft animal ordinance dominated a lengthy portion of the April council meeting. Council considered amendments to the proposed municipal code and zoning definitions that would change what small livestock residents may keep within city limits.
Council debated whether to separate poultry (chickens and other fowl) from the broader small‑livestock definition so the city could adopt other animal‑control provisions now and treat poultry as a distinct issue later. Concerns raised during the discussion included enforcement burden on code enforcement, public‑health questions cited from the Centers for Disease Control about salmonella associated with backyard poultry, the cost for residents to meet setbacks and fencing requirements, and the limited demand among residents observed by several council members.
Councilmember discussion included arguments for moving forward with non‑poultry elements to give code enforcement and police clearer guidance and arguments for pursuing an advisory vote to capture community preference before making a permanent zoning change. One councilmember noted that prior informal surveys lacked statistical validity and described options for a more rigorous survey that could include mail, phone and online components.
Two formal outcomes resulted from the meeting:
1) Council voted to amend the proposed zoning change by excluding poultry from the small‑livestock definition and sent the amended Article 18 to the Planning Board for review and recommendation. The roll‑call vote on that motion was recorded as: Ashley (Yes), Cyphers (No), Greenwood (No), Harding (Yes), Deputy Mayor Havens (Yes), Hoke (Yes), Mayor Mary Schweller (Yes). The motion carried.
2) Council directed staff to draft advisory ballot language to place a simple yes/no advisory question on a May 2026 ballot that would ask residents whether to modify the definition of small livestock to include poultry. That motion passed by roll call with unanimous support; councilmembers noted the advisory measure would be low cost to place on the specified election cycle and would provide statistically valid public input if designed with appropriate sampling.
Council clarified that sending the zoning amendment to Planning Board does not by itself change the existing municipal code; any ordinance changes would be adopted by council after Planning Board recommendation and any required hearings.
