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Council tables second reading of urban‑chicken ordinance after lengthy public comment; work session set for July 8
Summary
A resident urged the council to reconsider backyard‑chicken rules, citing odor, flies, predators and property‑value concerns. Councilmembers agreed earlier changes were missing from the draft, voted to table the ordinance and scheduled a July 8 work session to write local rules.
During the citizen‑inquiry period, Robert T. T. addressed the council at length about keeping chickens within city limits, warning that “chickens are kind of dirty” and that manure can create strong odors and attract flies. He raised concerns about setbacks, coop appearance and the potential effect on nearby property values and nuisance problems from predators and feral animals.
The council resumed a second reading of a proposed ordinance to adopt regulations for keeping urban chickens but several members said the draft did not reflect the specific changes they had requested earlier. Councilmember Teresa moved to table the ordinance to allow the council to draft its own language; another member seconded the motion and the motion carried.
Council scheduled a work session for Wednesday, July 8 at 5:00 p.m. to continue discussion and prepare revised ordinance language. Members said they prefer to resolve the issue quickly so residents have clear, locally drafted rules.
Why this matters: backyard‑livestock ordinances affect neighbors’ daily quality of life and property standards; the council’s decision to table and hold a dedicated work session signals a desire to write locally tailored rules rather than adopt an externally drafted package.
Next steps: the council will meet in a work session July 8 at 5:00 p.m. to draft revisions; no ordinance changes were adopted at this meeting.
