Warsaw Planners Review City Chicken Proposal
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
During its Feb. 3 meeting, Warsaw City Council heard a proposal from Warsaw resident James Bausch to allow the chickens in the city limits. The city council advised that the plan commission would review the proposal and requested a recommendation from the planners.
During Monday’s plan commission meeting, Bausch said he is interested in allowing chickens in the city limits and said they will allow residents to have their own eggs and eat healthy.
The plan commission will review a rough draft of a chicken ordinance during its March 10 meeting. If they agree on the ordinance it will be submitted to city council for approval and a public hearing will be held.
Tim Dombrosky, assistant city planner, presented a breakdown of various ordinance considerations including the number of birds permitted per household, regulation of roosters, permits and fees required for keeping chickens, chicken enclosure and containment restrictions. Other considerations are nuisance causes related to chickens such as noise, smells, public health concerns, attracting flies and rodents and cleanliness of coops, slaughtering restrictions and distance restriction of coops.
Pat Loebs, Grace College communications professor, read a letter from Ellen Schwendeman, Warsaw resident, who supports a chicken ordinance.
Schwendeman said she raised chickens and they help with fertilizer, are easy to feed and provide an educational value to children and have brought her and her neighbors together.
Wanda Cullison, local dietitian, said she supports a chicken ordinance.
“They are a good way to provide access to healthy food for children and adults,” Cullison said.
Dave Baumgartner, plan commission member, said he supports allowing chickens in city limits as long as there are rules.
“I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of people having that opportunity,” Baumgartner said.
Commission members Rick Keeven and Mike Klondaris also said they supported allowing chickens in the city limits. Klondaris said he thought it was important for the city to inspect chicken coops.
Jeff Grose, commission member and city councilman, suggested there be restrictions on the appearance of the chicken coops as there are rules for sheds in town. He also supported a permit process for those wanting chickens and limiting the number of chickens.
“I think this is a neat idea. I’m excited to see what we can do,” Grose said.
Cities in Indiana that have ordinances that allow chickens in the city limits include Cumberland, Bloomington, Evansville, Fishers, Indianapolis and South Bend.
During Monday’s plan commission meeting, the planners reviewed a draft of a proposed zoning ordinance and code changes.
The proposed zoning ordinance changes include setbacks from residential structures.
The proposal states in order to avoid a concentration of potential nuisances, hens must be restricted in number as follows: no more than four hens on any parcel of property; parcels more than 8,800 square feet may request to house additional hens at a rate of one hen per 2,500 square feet with a maximum of eight hens.
The proposals states a chicken coop must be impermeable to predators including dogs.
For domestic chickens, setbacks from residential structures proposals include chicken coops and pens must be located at least 20 feet from principle structures not owned or occupied by the owner of the coop if more than four feet tall.
The proposal also states coops must be located within five feet of side or rear property lines; coops must be six feet or more behind the rear line of the principle building and if smaller than 120 square feet; and chicken coops will not be counted against the accessory structures allotment.
Code changes proposed include it is not the responsibility of the animal control officer to return lost chickens to the owner. The proposals also state owners of domestic chickens must provide a chicken coop and attached chicken run that is clean and dry; keep chickens completely and securely enclosed and under the control of the owner on the owner’s property at all times.
Other code changes include keep the chicken coop free from trash; attend a chicken keeping class by Kosciusko County Purdue Extension office and the planning department; and/or animal control officer may deny or revoke a permit to any person who has refused to comply with the permit requirements.[[In-content Ad]]
During its Feb. 3 meeting, Warsaw City Council heard a proposal from Warsaw resident James Bausch to allow the chickens in the city limits. The city council advised that the plan commission would review the proposal and requested a recommendation from the planners.
During Monday’s plan commission meeting, Bausch said he is interested in allowing chickens in the city limits and said they will allow residents to have their own eggs and eat healthy.
The plan commission will review a rough draft of a chicken ordinance during its March 10 meeting. If they agree on the ordinance it will be submitted to city council for approval and a public hearing will be held.
Tim Dombrosky, assistant city planner, presented a breakdown of various ordinance considerations including the number of birds permitted per household, regulation of roosters, permits and fees required for keeping chickens, chicken enclosure and containment restrictions. Other considerations are nuisance causes related to chickens such as noise, smells, public health concerns, attracting flies and rodents and cleanliness of coops, slaughtering restrictions and distance restriction of coops.
Pat Loebs, Grace College communications professor, read a letter from Ellen Schwendeman, Warsaw resident, who supports a chicken ordinance.
Schwendeman said she raised chickens and they help with fertilizer, are easy to feed and provide an educational value to children and have brought her and her neighbors together.
Wanda Cullison, local dietitian, said she supports a chicken ordinance.
“They are a good way to provide access to healthy food for children and adults,” Cullison said.
Dave Baumgartner, plan commission member, said he supports allowing chickens in city limits as long as there are rules.
“I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of people having that opportunity,” Baumgartner said.
Commission members Rick Keeven and Mike Klondaris also said they supported allowing chickens in the city limits. Klondaris said he thought it was important for the city to inspect chicken coops.
Jeff Grose, commission member and city councilman, suggested there be restrictions on the appearance of the chicken coops as there are rules for sheds in town. He also supported a permit process for those wanting chickens and limiting the number of chickens.
“I think this is a neat idea. I’m excited to see what we can do,” Grose said.
Cities in Indiana that have ordinances that allow chickens in the city limits include Cumberland, Bloomington, Evansville, Fishers, Indianapolis and South Bend.
During Monday’s plan commission meeting, the planners reviewed a draft of a proposed zoning ordinance and code changes.
The proposed zoning ordinance changes include setbacks from residential structures.
The proposal states in order to avoid a concentration of potential nuisances, hens must be restricted in number as follows: no more than four hens on any parcel of property; parcels more than 8,800 square feet may request to house additional hens at a rate of one hen per 2,500 square feet with a maximum of eight hens.
The proposals states a chicken coop must be impermeable to predators including dogs.
For domestic chickens, setbacks from residential structures proposals include chicken coops and pens must be located at least 20 feet from principle structures not owned or occupied by the owner of the coop if more than four feet tall.
The proposal also states coops must be located within five feet of side or rear property lines; coops must be six feet or more behind the rear line of the principle building and if smaller than 120 square feet; and chicken coops will not be counted against the accessory structures allotment.
Code changes proposed include it is not the responsibility of the animal control officer to return lost chickens to the owner. The proposals also state owners of domestic chickens must provide a chicken coop and attached chicken run that is clean and dry; keep chickens completely and securely enclosed and under the control of the owner on the owner’s property at all times.
Other code changes include keep the chicken coop free from trash; attend a chicken keeping class by Kosciusko County Purdue Extension office and the planning department; and/or animal control officer may deny or revoke a permit to any person who has refused to comply with the permit requirements.[[In-content Ad]]
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