§ 108-122. Residential backyard chickens.

(a)

General requirements. Lots zoned for single-family use shall be permitted to keep backyard chickens for the expressed purpose of egg production under this section.

(b)

Number of chickens. Chickens shall be limited to more than six per lot. Roosters are not permitted.

(c)

Coops required. Coops housing chickens shall be required and provide a minimum of three square feet of space per chicken. Construction of coops shall follow accessory building guidelines set forth in section 108-96, shall have both a roof and walls, and shall be adequately ventilated. Coops shall be maintained in a clean manner and free of vermin. Runs are permitted, but must be fully enclosed with poultry netting or a similar material. Runs shall not count towards the square footage requirement.

(d)

Location. Coops and runs shall not be placed less than 25 feet from any property line and shall be in the rear yard.

(e)

Fencing required. The area housing the coop and run shall be fenced in to prevent chickens leaving the lot.

(f)

Inspection and permit required. Before issuing a permit to keep backyard chickens, the community development director or their appointee shall inspect the premises for the criteria set forth in this section. A permit shall be required to keep backyard chickens and application shall be made on forms provided by the department. The department shall have 30 business days to issue or deny the permit. A notification of issuance or denial of the permit shall be delivered by hand delivery or by mailing such notice to the applicant's address on or before the 30th business day. If denied, the notice shall state the reasons for denial.

(g)

Revocation of permit. If a permittee is found to be in violation of this section or adopted nuisance codes and fails to address the issue in the allotted timeframe, the department shall pursue revocation of the issued permit.

(h)

Appeals. The applicant may appeal the decision of the community development director to the city council by filing a written notice of appeal with the community development director no later than ten days after the denial or revocation of the permit. The city council shall hear the appeal at the next regularly scheduled meeting that is at least 14 days after the notice of appeal has been filed. A final written decision on the appeal shall be rendered by the city council no more than 30 days from the date the appeal was heard.

(Code 2004, § 152.091; Ord. No. 470, 9-22-2014)