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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – August 6, 2025 7 <br /> <br /> <br />City Administrator Jagoe stated if coops were allowed in garages, the Commission would then <br />have to consider how permits were managed and where the pen or exercise yard was located. She <br />stated she would have to investigate this further if the Commission supported allowing chicken <br />coops in garages. <br /> <br />The consensus of the Commission was to direct staff to further investigate the allowance of <br />chicken coops in garages. <br /> <br />Further discussion ensued regarding the roaming language and staff noted the intent was to allow <br />chickens to roam in the pen or exercise yard. <br /> <br />Chair Collins indicated the Commission was interested in allowing chickens to roam in a <br />supervised manner in the rear yard along with the exercise yard. <br /> <br />City Administrator Jagoe explained she would further clarify the roaming language within the <br />ordinance. <br /> <br />Chair Collins inquired if the Commission supported renaming the ordinance to the poultry <br />ordinance. <br /> <br />City Administrator Jagoe reported it would be staff’s recommendation that this suggestion be <br />passed along to the City Council, but that at this time, the ordinance remain the chicken keeping <br />ordinance. <br /> <br />Chair Collins asked if the Commission would support the number of chickens increased. <br /> <br />Commissioner Birken explained when chicks are ordered they are shipped live and the <br />minimum order is three. She was of the opinion the maximum number of chickens allowed <br />should be set at seven as proposed by Commissioner Burlingame. <br /> <br />The consensus of the Commission was to support a flock size of up to seven chickens. <br /> <br />Chair Collins asked how the Commission wanted to address coop size. <br /> <br />Commissioner Lindau supported staff investigating what size premade structures were in order <br />to streamline the process for applicants in the future. <br /> <br />City Administrator Jagoe reported she would further investigate this matter for the <br />Commission and could report back with coop size recommendations. <br /> <br />Chair Collins inquired how the Commission wanted to address coop cleanliness. <br /> <br />Commissioner Birken stated she would like staff to provide the Commission with comparable <br />language on how dogs and cat cleanliness is to be addressed by pet owners. <br /> <br />Commissioner Burlingame moved and Commissioner Bjorklund seconded a motion to <br />table action on Planning Case 25-007 for the ordinance amendments for the keeping of <br />chickens to allow staff to further investigate matters as directed by the Commission to the <br />September Planning Commission meeting. The motion carried unanimously (7-0).