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Commission directs city attorney and staff to research chicken ordinance, grants continuance to seek delay in enforcement
Summary
Commissioners asked staff to research city, county and state codes regarding two rescued chickens and voted 4-0 to have staff and the city attorney return with options and to seek a continuance or extension to delay enforcement while the matter is researched.
Commissioners on Feb. 5, 2025, directed the city attorney and staff to research local and county code and applicable state health rules relating to a code violation involving two rescued chickens owned by a city resident. The commission also voted 4-0 to ask staff to pursue, if legally possible, a continuance or extension to delay enforcement while an ordinance amendment is researched.
Why it matters: a resident who rescues animals received a violation for keeping two rescued chickens (named in the record as Zulu and Jilly). Commissioners said they want staff to explore whether the city code, county ordinances or state health regulations permit the animals to remain and whether an ordinance amendment is appropriate; they asked that staff return to the commission with options.
Commissioner Lima Taub described a longtime resident who rescues abused animals and reported that the resident received a violation notice asking that the rescued chickens be removed despite the animals not laying eggs. Commissioner Taub said she would like the commission to “strike this part about the chickens entirely” from the ordinance or bring an amendment to the code.
Vanessa Leroy, Director of Development Services and Code (DSC), told commissioners the city would need to research the county’s code and possible state health-code implications and would return with findings.
A motion was made and seconded to have the city attorney and staff research options and bring back an ordinance amendment; the commission then voted to seek a legal continuance or extension to delay enforcement of the outstanding violation while staff researches options. The roll call was recorded as yes from Commissioner Butler, Vice Mayor Mary Laszlo, Commissioner Lee Matau and Commissioner Adams; Mayor Mary Cooper was absent.
The commission’s direction does not itself change the code; it directed staff to research legal options and to return to the commission with proposed ordinance language and any recommended steps to delay enforcement if legally permissible.
