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Lake Stevens staff says rooster complaints prompted proposed rooster ban and pet-licensing changes
Summary
Planning staff told the commission that multiple rooster complaints prompted a draft nuisance ordinance that would prohibit roosters (hens only) and phase out lifetime pet licensing in favor of microchipping and outreach; the item will go directly to City Council.
City planning staff reported that police and code-enforcement complaints about roosters have prompted a proposed change to the city’s nuisance ordinance that would prohibit roosters within city limits and limit backyard poultry to hens.
Christie Schmidt, planning manager, said the proposal is not a land-use regulation and will go directly to the City Council rather than the Planning Commission. Schmidt said the police/community-service officer and code enforcement documented numerous rooster complaints that spurred the draft change. “There has been a numerous amount of rooster complaints, and that is what is spurring the code change,” she said.
Staff also described a proposed change to pet licensing that would eliminate lifetime licensing and instead emphasize education and outreach around microchipping and QR coding; staff said most other cities have moved away from lifetime licenses. Schmidt said the city would notify permit-holders (via reports from the permitting system) and expect implementation to occur largely through attrition and outreach rather than an immediate enforcement sweep.
No formal action was taken by the commission on the nuisance-animal proposals during the meeting; staff said the ordinance would be considered by the City Council and that staff will work to notify impacted residents.
