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Council sets notification, schedules hearing for O'Brien animal-keeping variance
Summary
Council instructed staff to treat the O'Brien family's request to keep animals inside city limits as a variance, notify neighbors within 200 feet by certified mail, and schedule a hearing in April when the applicants expect to appear.
Councilmembers discussed a request from the O'Brien family to keep animals on a property that is partly zoned agricultural but lies inside Marion city limits.
James (speaker 2), who reviewed zoning and code, said the property's agricultural zoning permits horses and goats, but a city-code prohibition on keeping animals inside the city creates a conflict. "I reached out to Brian Bina. Brian Bina recommended, approach to council that O'Brien's approach to council, seeking a variance to the keeping of animals inside the city limits," James said.
James recommended limiting the number of animals if a variance is granted and treating the petition like a Board of Zoning Appeals matter: notify everyone within 200 feet by certified mail and hold a public hearing. Council members agreed the O'Briens should present in April and that neighbors should be notified in advance. Mayor (speaker 1) suggested the council could hold a special meeting for a focused hearing if needed to avoid bogging down a regular meeting.
No decision on a variance was made at this meeting; the item is scheduled for a future council meeting where the applicants will have an opportunity to speak and neighbors may comment.
