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Council approves first reading of revised backyard chicken rules, reduces maximum to five hens
Summary
Albert Lea council approved a first reading July 28 revising the animals code to define residence-based setbacks, require a 10-foot distance from property lines, set a 60-foot setback from neighboring residences, and lower the permitted number of hens from 10 to 5; staff cited CDC sanitation and avian-flu concerns.
The Albert Lea City Council approved a first reading July 28 of proposed revisions to the animals ordinance governing backyard chickens.
Wayne Sorensen, building and zoning official, said staff replaced the previous 50-foot-from-any-structure rule with a setback measured from a residence or areas of normal outdoor human activity (such as a house, attached garage, deck or patio). He said staff recommended a larger setback than the old blanket rule and proposed a 75-foot option at staff level but that councilors settled on a 60-foot setback during discussion. The ordinance also adds a 10-foot required distance from a neighboring property line and reduces the maximum number of hens from 10 to 5 for residential yards.
Sorensen discussed sanitation and health considerations, citing CDC guidance on risks such as salmonella and avian flu and urging proper coop construction and management. “We suggested 5,” he said of the recommended maximum hens, and noted that five hens will typically supply a household with about two dozen eggs a week.
Councilors asked questions about enforceability and public-health precautions; the council carried the first-reading motion and directed staff to continue final drafting for the second reading.
