Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Regulation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident asks Marshalltown council for exception to poultry ordinance
Summary
A Marshalltown resident asked the council to allow backyard chickens on her 2.5-acre lot; city staff said changing the rule would likely require an ordinance amendment and offered to bring the question back for council discussion.
Marshalltown — A Marshalltown resident on June 21 asked the City Council for an exception to local animal and poultry ordinances to allow a small flock of hens on her 2.5-acre property.
Nikki Erenss, who identified herself and gave her address as 502 Hidden Hill Drive, told the council she is not seeking roosters but would like permission to keep a few hens. She cited Marshalltown code sections 90.001 and 90.002 and said the nearest neighboring house is more than 330 feet away.
Carol, a city staff member, told Erenss that exceptions to the cited code sections are uncommon and that the appropriate path would likely be an ordinance change or a code amendment; she offered to put the matter on a future meeting agenda as a discussion item if the council directs.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; the resident’s request was recorded during the public-comment portion and staff was directed to advise on next steps if the council wishes to pursue a code change.
