(A) Permission to keep chickens. Upon payment to the town of a non-refundable permit fee of $35, any resident may keep chickens on his or her property under the following conditions:
(1) The maximum number of chickens allowed shall be ten per tract of land, regardless of how many dwelling units are on the land.
(2) Only female chickens are allowed. There is no restriction on chicken species.
(3) There shall be no breeding or fertilizer production for commercial purposes. The chickens shall be kept only for egg production purposes.
(4) The chickens must be kept in an enclosure or fenced area at all times, at least five feet from the neighboring property (unless the neighbor consents for it to be closer), and shall be secured within a henhouse during non-daylight hours. The chickens shall not run at large.
(5) Henhouses and pens shall only be located to the rear of the dwelling house or other main structure on the property.
(6) Enclosures shall be maintained in a clean, neat and sanitary condition at all times.
(7) Henhouses and pens shall provide adequate ventilation and adequate sun and shade, and shall be impermeable to rodents, wild birds, and predators, including dogs and cats. Chicken feed shall be stored so as to discourage pests.
(8) The building materials used in the construction of the henhouse shall be uniform for each element of the structure, so that all walls are made of the same materials, the roof has the same shingles or other covering, and any windows or openings shall be constructed of the same materials. The henhouse should be visually attractive, and the use of scrap, waste board, sheet metal, or similar materials is prohibited. The henhouse shall be well maintained and shall not exceed 20 feet by 20 feet in size.
(9) No slaughtering of chickens shall be allowed.
(B) Enforcement. The Chief of Police shall implement and enforce this section.
(C) Chickens not on property for one year, fee. If the resident permittee is without any chickens for a period of one year, he or she must pay to the town another non-refundable permit fee of $35 before bringing additional chickens to his or her property.
(D) Conflict with zoning ordinance. In the event of conflict with the town's zoning ordinance with regard to the construction and location of the henhouse and pen, the terms of this section shall control.
(Ord. passed 4-3-2012; Ord. passed 8-5-2014) Penalty, see § 92.99.