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<br />Page 5 of 7 <br /> <br /> <br />2) Revisions to the Chickens License requirements <br />a. Modify Neighbor Consent requirement to Neighbor Notification requirement <br /> <br />It is established in Section 410 that an applicant for a chickens license is required to have neighbor <br />consent from all of the immediately adjacent properties for the issuance of a license. This <br />requirement has remained consistent since the ordinance language was first adopted and the City <br />Council has not given specific direction for new language to alter this requirement. At the August <br />6 meeting, the Planning Commission discussed this requirement and provided a recommendation <br />to alter the language to align with requirements for the keeping of bees. A resident who intends to <br />have bee hives on their property is required to provide neighbor notice prior to keeping bees. <br /> <br />While discussing the neighbor consent language, members of the Planning Commission asked staff <br />if neighbor consent is required when a chickens licensee goes to renew their license after two years. <br />Staff responded at the meeting that neighbor consent is required at both the time of the initial <br />license issuance and at the biannual renewal. However, upon review, staff has determined that this <br />is incorrect, and that neighbor consent is only required when a resident applies for a new chickens <br />license. <br /> <br />Staff found during the review of other keeping of chickens ordinances that 3 out of the ten <br />ordinances require neighbor consent for a chickens license, with a minimum required percentage <br />of neighbors consenting ranging from 60 percent to 75 percent. In one other community, a public <br />hearing before the City Council is required and another community notices neighbors and the City <br />Council considers the license application if there are objections. <br /> <br />Staff has prepared two options for revisions. The first (Attachment A) includes keeping the <br />neighbor consent requirement but adding a clarifying statement that neighbor consent is required <br />for a new chickens license. The second option (Attachment B) includes revising the neighbor <br />consent requirement to a neighbor notification requirement. The Planning Commission may <br />consider recommending either of these two options for the City Council to consider. <br /> <br />b. Increase maximum number of chickens permitted from three (3) hens to seven (7) <br />hens <br /> <br />The City Council directed staff to amend the drafted ordinance language to increase the maximum <br />number of chickens permitted from three (3) to six (6). The Planning Commission reviewed this <br />proposed amendment at the August meeting and recommended the number be increased to seven <br />(7). The Planning Commission proposed this change to allow licensees greater flexibility when <br />purchasing additional chicks if they decide to increase the number of chickens they are keeping or <br />if they are in need of replacement chickens. Staff has also included a revision to move the number <br />of chickens permitted by a chicken license from the language in Section 1325.07 Subd. 6 A. to <br />Section 410 to keep the language in the Zoning Code specific to chicken keeping structures. <br /> <br />The draft language also includes revisions which the Planning Commission had already reviewed <br />at the August 6 meeting, including removing screening requirements for areas dedicated to the