2015.03.10 CC Packet Combined - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Jacobsen requested the Council now discuss roosters and the appropriate size of chicken coops. He was in favor of not allowing roosters in the City. Councilmember Burg and Councilmember Bauman agreed. Councilmember Strub did not believe there were enough complaints to limit roosters in the City. Councilmember Burg was in favor of limiting the number of chickens/fowls to eight to ten as this closely reflected the number of chickens New Brighton residents already have. Mayor Jacobsen suggested that lot size also be considered when setting a fowl limit. Gundlach reviewed the average lot size for homes in New Brighton. Councilmember Bauman discussed the research she has conducted regarding chickens and coops. She reviewed some of the information she gathered from her research, along with the diseases these animals can carry. She questioned how the City would address the disposal of chicken carcasses if a bird were to die. She discussed the diseases chicken carried and noted their eggs were more likely to have salmonella. It was her opinion that chickens did not belong in the suburbs or the City of New Brighton. Councilmember Strub asked if the code required a yard to be fenced. Code Enforcement Officer Hatch explained that the task force was recommending that chickens be restrained or have a place to run, but was not requiring a yard to be fenced. Mayor Jacobsen recommended the code include language that would require chickens to be restrained. Councilmember Burg questioned if two neighbors could share a chicken coop. Code Enforcement Officer Hatch believed that this would be allowed unless a complaint was brought to the City. Gundlach commented that coops would have setback requirements. Mayor Jacobsen discussed the requirements he has on a piece of farmland that he owns in Otter Tail County. He stated he had more requirements on that land than he does on his New Brighton property with regard to chickens. He was in favor of allowing eight chickens on a New Brighton lot. Councilmember Burg suggested the number of chickens be based on the size of a homeowner's property. She was in favor of allowing up to 24 chickens for residents with two -acre parcels. Councilmember Bauman did not support this recommendation. Mayor Jacobsen believed it would be important for residents to gain the approval of their neighbors prior to having chickens. Councilmember Strub questioned if any cities required notification of neighbors. Code Enforcement Officer Hatch explained that the City of Minneapolis required 90% of neighbors within 100 feet to support the request. He noted the task force discussed this matter but did not make this a recommendation due to the fact neighbors could move away as time goes by. Councilmember Bauman did not want to see New Brighton become the chicken capital of the Twin Cities. She believed this matter needed further consideration. She understood homeowners had property rights, but she also did not want to hurt residents' property values by having chicken coops everywhere.