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Marysville council adopts ordinance allowing backyard chickens, adds fees policy
Summary
The Marysville City Council voted 5-3 to adopt Ordinance 19-42 to permit chickens, ducks and quail under new limits; the council also approved a fee schedule for permits and emphasized education and coop standards.
The Marysville City Council voted 5-3 to adopt Ordinance 19-42, a rewrite of the city's livestock and backyard-bird rules that allows chickens, ducks and quail under new size and housing limits.
The measure, which followed committee review and public comment earlier on the ordinance draft, revises the rules for larger animals (horses, sheep and cattle) to two animals per acre and adds specific standards for structures used to house backyard birds. The council also approved Policy A-105, which establishes an initial, higher permit fee and lower renewal fees, mirroring the city's approach for similar licenses.
Council members said the ordinance is intended to balance resident interest in small-scale backyard flocks with public-health, nuisance and neighborhood concerns. One council member reported contacting a private veterinarian, who told the council the chance of avian influenza appearing in a small backyard flock is low but that the disease is reportable; council discussion noted the matter's importance for public-health agencies and USDA/APHIS reporting if cases occur.
City staff and the administration told the council they will provide educational materials to prospective backyard-bird owners, drawing on Kansas State extension publications and other best practices, and that the city will offer assistance at City Hall for people wanting to set up coops. The ordinance requires applicants to submit an application and may require a building permit for coop structures.
Council members who opposed the ordinance raised concerns about enforcement, nuisance complaints and the potential for backyard flocks to be kept on properties already on a municipal nuisance list. Supporters argued the measure includes coop standards, permit oversight and an educational component that will reduce conflicts.
The roll call produced a 5-3 result; council discussion said staff will work to help residents comply. The council approved Policy A-105 setting the fees that accompany the ordinance by separate motion.
Ending: The ordinance and accompanying fee policy take effect according to the city's ordinance rules; staff said they will prepare the application forms and educational materials before permits are issued.
