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Page 1 of 3 <br /> <br /> AGENDA ITEM - 1B <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />DATE: September 21st, 2020 <br /> <br />TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers <br /> Dave Perrault, City Administrator <br /> <br />FROM: Mike Mrosla, Community Development Manager/City Planner <br /> Joe Hartmann, Associate Planner <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Discussion on expanding the keeping of chickens on residential properties <br /> <br /> <br />Council shall consider <br /> <br />The City Council shall consider holding a public hearing or some other type of public <br />engagement to allow residents to provide input the keeping of chickens within residential areas. <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />At their August 17th, 2020 Work Session, the City Council discussed options to amend the <br />language in the Zoning Code to relax restrictions on raising chickens and on chicken coops in <br />residential districts, based on examples of similar communities’ ordinance restrictions. The City <br />Council opted not to amend the code at that time, but instead to review the ordinance language at <br />a later date. However, at its August 24 meeting, the City Council requested to discuss public <br />input opportunities on the keeping of chickens at an upcoming work session. <br /> <br />Existing City Code Standards: <br /> <br />The Arden Hills’ City Code doesn't necessarily prohibit the keeping of chickens, but the majority <br />of residential lots don't meet the setback requirements for chicken coops. City Code 1305.04 <br />classifies chickens as "farm animals", traditionally kept or raised on a farm for the purpose of <br />providing food or products for sale or use. The keeping of farm animals is regulated in Section <br />1325.07, Subd. 6 where that code section states that the location for buildings that house farm <br />animals must be located a distance of 200 feet from any lot line. Any open structure in which <br />farm animals are kept is required to be a minimum of 400 feet from any lot line. Although the <br />minimum lot length in the R-1 Single Family Residential District is 130 feet and the length in the <br />R-2 Single and Two Family Residential District is 120 feet, few residential properties can meet <br />the setback requirements for chicken coops. <br />