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MEMORANDUM <br />DATE: <br /> February 19, 2013 <br />TO: <br /> Honorable Mayor and Council Members <br />Patrick Klaers, City Administrator <br />FROM: <br /> Meagan Beekman, City Planner <br />SUBECT: <br /> Urban Fowl Discussion <br />Requested Action <br />Review the attached articles and provide direction to Staff on whether to move forward with an <br />ordinance revision to allow urban fowl or not. <br />Background <br />Councilmember Werner has requested that the issue of keeping chickens and other fowl on <br />residential properties be brought before the Council for discussion. <br />Arden Hills Staff receives a few calls a year from residents asking if they are allowed to raise <br />chickens on their property. In Arden Hills chickens and other fowl are not specifically <br />prohibited. However, they are considered farm animals, and the City requires that containment <br />areas for farm animals have to be kept a minimum of 200 feet away from any property line. This <br />large setback prohibits nearly all of the properties in Arden Hills from having farm animals. <br />Discussion <br />Over the last several years the issue of raising urban fowl, specifically chickens, has become <br />more popular. Many communities have spent time looking into this issue, and some have <br />amended ordinances to allow residents to keep chickens or other kinds of poultry. The City of <br />Cottage Grove is currently looking into the issue of the keeping of chickens and other fowl on <br />residential properties. An article on the Cottage Grove debate, as well as articles regarding <br />Maplewood, Bloomington, and Woodbury’s discussions is attached (Attachment A). <br />City of Arden Hills <br />City Council Meeting for February 19, 2013 <br />12 <br />Page of <br />