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Hutchinson council approves rezoning at 503 Cloverdale Drive to allow limited farm animals after public debate
Summary
After public comment from the applicant and neighbors, Hutchinson City Council approved an ordinance rezoning 503 Cloverdale Drive from R4 to R1 with a protective overlay limiting animals (up to 10 goats or sheep and 1 horse or donkey); the case had six protest petitions within the protest area requiring a supermajority but council voted to approve.
Matt Williams, Hutchinson's director of community development, presented a request to rezone 503 Cloverdale Drive from R4 (Residential Neighborhood Conservation District) to R1 (Single-Family Suburban District) so the owner could keep goats, sheep and possibly one horse or donkey. Williams told council the property is just over two acres, located about 300 feet east of the west city limit, and that the planning commission recommended approval 5–0 with a protective overlay limiting uses to single-family and the number and type of farm animals (recommended: up to 10 goats or sheep and one horse or donkey).
Staff reported six valid protest petitions were received within the protest-calculation area, representing 61 percent of that area, which exceeds the state statute 20 percent threshold. That calculation requires approval only by a supermajority of councilmembers (four or five votes) for the rezoning to pass.
During council discussion, members asked whether the city monitors animal limits (staff said enforcement is complaint-driven and violations can lead to letters and court action), whether photos and letters in the packet matched the correct property (staff noted some packet photos did not appear to be of the parcel in question), and whether the property had any current violations (staff said no outstanding zoning violations were believed to exist).
Applicant Ryan Ragoza spoke from the podium, representing 501 and 503 Cloverdale Drive. He disputed claims in the protest letter, described cleanup and investments on the lots (including removal of debris and tree cutting), said some opposition signatures were obtained under false pretenses, and requested the council approve the request rather than send it back to planning. "There's a man that's 2 houses down to the south of me that is opposed to everything that anybody does in the neighborhood," Ragoza said, adding he had invested in fencing and lot cleanup to prepare for animals.
Several neighbors spoke in favor of the rezoning (including Tammy Withers, Travis Oden and Ryan Weavey), saying the area retains a rural character and some properties are grandfathered to have animals. Some councilmembers initially favored returning the case to planning commission so neighbors could review protest materials and be reconvened, but after hearing public comments and further deliberation the mayor read a motion to approve the ordinance amending the zoning map (section 27-402) with a protective overlay. The motion was seconded and council recorded affirmative roll-call votes; the ordinance was approved.
What council approved was the ordinance amending the zoning map and authorizing the mayor to sign; the protective overlay limits the number and type of animals permitted on the rezoned property. Enforcement remains complaint-driven and violations may be subject to a zoning violation process and court review.
What happens next: staff will implement the ordinance and record the protective overlay; neighbors retain the right to file complaints under city code if standards are not met.
