The keeping of poultry may be permitted subject to the following restrictions, prohibitions and conditions.
(A) The keeping of domesticated hens (female chickens) shall be allowed in the residentially zoned districts of the city.
(B) Other types of fowl and poultry, such as ducks, geese, quail, pigeons or turkeys shall not be considered domesticated hens.
(C) Roosters shall be prohibited. Breeding of permitted hens shall be prohibited on property premises. On-site slaughtering is prohibited.
(D) All domesticated hens shall be kept outside of a habitable structure in a fenced chicken enclosure (chicken run), and a portion of the chicken enclosure must include a covered chicken coop structure (henhouse). The chicken coop shall provide at least two square feet per chicken and shall not exceed 50 square feet. The chicken enclosure shall provide at least six square feet per bird, and the enclosure shall also include the coop within the enclosure and the enclosure shall not exceed a total of 400 square feet. The maximum height of the coop shall be no more than ten feet at the highest point as measured from the ground directly beneath the highest point of the coop. The enclosure and coop shall be located in the rear of the property ten feet away from the rear property line, and ten feet away from any side property line. The coop shall be covered and enclosed on all sides. The enclosure shall be open to the air above, or the enclosure may be covered by permeable material. A maximum of six chickens may be permitted on any parcel or tract of property.
(E) Any food storage shall be kept in air-tight, predator-proof and weather-proof containers.
(F) There shall be a one-time permit application fee of $50 for any person applying for a chicken permit. As a part of the permit process and at the time of the permit application, the applicant shall provide a site drawing showing the location of the proposed chicken enclosure and chicken coop in relationship to the applicant’s real property line boundaries.
(G) The permit applicant must own and occupy the property for which the permit is applied. The permit cannot be transferred or assigned to any person. A permit shall expire upon the sale or other transfer of the property, or if the permit holder ceases to reside at the property for which the permit was granted.
(H) A permanent screening buffer shall be required. The screening buffer shall be located no closer than the minimum front yard setback of the applicant’s property. This permanent screening buffer may be a fence, shrubbery or other similar structure or plant.
(I) The chicken coop and enclosure shall be well maintained and regularly cleaned to control dust, odor and waste, in order to not constitute a nuisance, safety hazard or health problem to surrounding property. As part of proper maintenance, the permit holder must remove any chicken waste on a regular basis, at least bi-weekly, and dispose of it in a proper manner. Chicken waste includes excrement, uneaten feed, feathers or waste items. If the enclosure and coop are not properly maintained and results in the occurrence of a nuisance, the city may treat the nuisance as any other nuisance pursuant to existing law, regardless if the permit holder has an otherwise valid permit.
(J) Any permit issued may be revoked by the city upon a finding of any violation by any person of any provisions herein.
(Ord. 2013-5, passed 9-10-2013)