Agenda - Council - 07/27/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CC Regular Session Meeting Date: 07/27/2021 Submitted For: Chloe McGuire Brigl, Community Development By: Brian McCann, Community Development Information 6. 1. Title: PUBLIC HEARING: Introduce Ordinance #21-11 Amending Chapter 10 of City Code to Include Requirements for Keeping Cats and Roosters, and to Amend Standards for Agricultural Animals and Beekeeping Purpose/Background: The purpose of this case is four -fold. 1. Reevaluate requirements for keeping of agricultural animals in residential districts; and 2. Allow roosters on properties with at least 2.5 acres in the R-1 Rural Residential district; and 3. Update Article III - Dogs to include cats in the requirements for domestic animals; and 4. Regulate beekeeping through a zoning permit instead of the land use application (fee reduction and increased efficiency). Notification: A public hearing notice was sent to the City's Official Newspaper, the Anoka County Union Herald. Time Frame/Observations/Alternatives: Agricultural Animals Historically, the City's Animal Code focused on a delineation between lots smaller than 3 acres and lots that are larger than 3 acres. The code is structured as such that many animals commonly considered as non -domestic (chickens, pigs, cows, horses, etc.) required at least 3 acres. Since the time the Code was originally drafted, the City has grown considerably. Additionally, the City has tweaked the Animal Code on several occasions, resulting in a Code that can sometimes be difficult to interpret. Staff is proposing to reduce the acreage requirements for keeping of certain animals, but retain the number of units per animal. The proposed ordinance also has no limit for animal units on properties that are 15+ acres in size, instead of the previous 20+ acres, and the table begins with 2.5 acres instead of 3, to follow the zoning code requirements. Roosters Throughout 2020, the City received an increase in the number of complaints of roosters, especially on properties 1 to 2 acres in size. Property Owners that own Roosters and were subjects of the complaints have been asking the City to consider amending regulations to allow roosters on properties at least 1 acre in size, understanding that Roosters are probably not appropriate on smaller lots due to the nuisance created by noise. Residents have requested that Staff clarify regulations, and City Council directed Staff to allow roosters on larger lots. City Staff is requesting an ordinance to clarify rooster restrictions in the City. Since 2010, there have been approximately 30 code enforcement cases for violations of Chapter 10 -Animals, in regards to prohibited animals on parcels three (3) acres or less. Many of these violations are for properties that have roosters. Section 10.1 of City Code currently states: "a. Animals on less than three acres. None of the following animals shall be maintained on any parcel of land in the city that is not at least 3.0 acres (130,680 square feet) in size: llamas, cows, mules, donkeys, burros, goats, pigs,