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Bellbrook council advances draft small-livestock rules for legal review after lengthy discussion
Summary
Council discussed a proposed zoning amendment to permit small livestock (chickens, rabbits, select poultry) with setbacks, coop-sizing, permitting and enforcement provisions and directed staff to send the draft to the city's legal counsel for review.
Bellbrook City Council on Monday reviewed a draft zoning change to allow small livestock (including chickens and certain waterfowl) in residential areas and directed staff to send the draft to the city's legal counsel for conformity with Ohio law.
City planner Mikaela (staff) told council the draft adds a definition of "small livestock" and proposed Section 18.41 for the zoning code; the change would require accessory-structure permitting, ventilation and sanitation standards, and limits on species. The draft excludes geese, peafowl, turkeys, ostriches and emus but permits ducks under the proposed language.
Council members pressed staff on several specifics: setback distances to property lines and residential structures, minimum lot-size thresholds, coop sizing per bird, permitted construction materials and enforcement costs. Staff said permit fees would follow the existing accessory-structure schedule (example: $25 for first 100 square feet, $5 per additional 100 square feet) and that enforcement would be handled through existing code-enforcement processes; staff said comparable nearby cities reported fewer than a dozen annual complaints in past experience but could not provide a precise local cost estimate.
After deliberation, several council members expressed support for a 25-foot setback from property lines and a 50-foot minimum distance to neighboring residential structures; members asked staff and legal counsel to confirm that combination is allowable under the Ohio Revised Code. Council also asked staff to include minimum coop sizing (council suggested 4 square feet per bird as a working figure) and to align beehive and small-livestock setbacks for consistency where appropriate.
Council did not adopt the text but instructed staff to send the draft to the law director for review and to return with legal edits and recommended permit/enforcement cost information. Staff said the draft will then go to the Planning Board if legally sound.
