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Mayor says he'll seek tweaks to chicken ordinance, points residents to June 3 committee meeting
Summary
Mayor Duncan said he will not vote on the proposed chicken ordinance but will propose amendments and meet staff; he urged residents to raise concerns at the Policy and Finance Committee meeting on June 3 as the city seeks a balance between urban chicken ownership and neighborhood nuisance protections.
Mayor Duncan addressed concerns about a proposed chicken ordinance that began as a rooster-specific measure and expanded to cover chickens and roosters. He said under the city charter the mayor does not vote on that ordinance and that he plans to meet staff to propose possible amendments before it returns to council.
"We started this off as a very simple concept...it turned into a chicken and rooster ordinance," Mayor Duncan said, adding that he is seeking balance between the rights of people who want to own chickens and neighbors' right to avoid nuisance issues. He encouraged residents to raise issues at the Policy and Finance Committee meeting on June 3.
Mayor Duncan thanked the animal control staff member who researched the issue and said he thinks the current draft may be "a little too restrictive," but that any changes not accepted by staff can be raised at the council level.
Why it matters: The ordinance has prompted widespread public feedback by email and social media, and the mayor framed the process as an attempt to protect both animal welfare and neighborhood quality of life while preserving agricultural and educational uses such as 4-H activities.
What’s next: The mayor will meet staff and post suggested amendments; the Policy and Finance Committee will consider the ordinance on June 3 and any committee recommendations will return to the full council.
