Agenda - Council - 01/27/2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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7. 1. CC Regular Session Meeting Date: 01/27/2026 Primary Strategic Plan Initiative: Create a positive image for residential neighborhoods, business districts and key corridors. Title: Introduce Ordinance #26-02, Repealing and Replacing Chapter 10 for Animal Regulations Purpose/Background: This case pertains to a repeal of the current Ramsey City Code Chapter 10 and the concurrent replacement of Ramsey City Code Chapter 10 as part of the Animal Code Update. The Animal Code is intended to work in tandem with Zoning, Building, and Nuisance Codes to regulate the keeping of animals in the City of Ramsey. Ramsey's Animal Code was first established in 1967, when Ramsey was still a township. Several amendments to this code have taken place since then, with significant overhauls in 1974 (in preparation for Ramsey's incorporation), 1978 (the first major city-wide recodification), 1988 (#88-2), 1990 (#90-11), 2002 (#02-05, #02-06, and #02-07), 2015 (#15-12) and 2022 (#22-03), and other significant amendments in 2008 (#08-09), 2012 (#12-06 and 912-11) 2021 (#21-08), 2024 (424-03), and 2025 (25-05). Over the past few years, Staff in the Community Development and Police Departments have received several complaints, comments, and questions regarding our current animal regulations. A majority of the feedback received from members of the public indicated that the existing Code is difficult to navigate, has many inconsistent terms and regulations, has some complex and burdensome regulations, and lacks adequate language to handle habitual noise and other animal -related nuisances. City Staff have met regularly to discuss various aspects of the existing Code and determine what should be kept, modified, added, or deleted in the proposed Code in response to our residents. These meetings regularly included the City Planner and Community Service Officers, with additional participation and input from staff in the Planning, Code Enforcement, and the Police Department. The meetings centered around the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of the existing Code while addressing Ramsey's vision for the future. The goals of updating the Code include the following: • Addressing concerns and questions from residents, such as: • Addressing noisy animals, including roosters and crowing hens; • Removing the provision requiring animal units to round down to the nearest quarter -acre, thus allowing residents more flexibility for the keeping of animals, such as poultry and fowl; • Simplifying the "animal unit" structure to make it easier for residents to read and understand what animals (and how many) they can keep on their property; • Codifying how Staff determines the allowable number of animals per property area for consistency and transparency; • Aligning barn, stable, and enclosure setbacks with accessory structure setbacks in Chapter 106 for consistency and flexibility; • Adjusting the remaining regulations from the Horse Care Commission to address current concerns about manure, transportation, and damage to public property from any animal; • Consolidating performance, maintenance, and care standards for all animals to reduce redundancy and inconsistencies between each allowable species; and • Improving processes to align with current practices and capacity amongst Community Development and Police Staff. • Consistency in terms and definitions • Consistency in interpretation and administration