Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Control topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Isanti committee considers allowing quail on residential lots; asks for more study
Summary
An applicant requested a code amendment to permit quail on residential properties. Staff said quail are quieter than chickens and suggested standards similar to other small animals; council asked for more information and agreed to forward a draft ordinance and related zoning materials to the full council for June consideration.
The Isanti committee of the whole reviewed an agenda request from Casey Tronson to amend city code so residents could keep quail on residential lots.
Staff associate planner Jared Hos told the committee quail are smaller and typically quieter than chickens, saying they sound “more like a song bird” and that neighbors might mistake them for wild birds rather than domestic fowl. He also noted the packet included examples from nearby jurisdictions showing that most local cities allow quail, though at least one does not.
Council members asked several practical questions: whether males are noisier than females (staff said males can be more vocal but still usually quieter than roosters), whether egg sales would be permitted (current practice for chickens does not permit residential egg sales), and how to set limits by lot size or zoning district. One member suggested a conditional‑use or permit approach so the city could evaluate actual impacts before adopting a permanent ordinance.
The committee agreed to request additional information (including the applicant’s zoning application materials that referenced a limit of 50 in an earlier filing) and to place a draft ordinance on the City Council agenda for June 2 so council can consider a written proposal and public notice. The committee made no formal policy change at the meeting.
