The Fort Dodge City Council will consider some new poultry restrictions at their next meeting on Monday.
In a correspondence from Ryan Maehl to the Council, Fort Dodge’s Inspection Division has received and continues to receive complaints about chickens. With elevated egg prices recently, more community members are keeping chickens in town. The purpose of the proposed ordinance change is to provide guidance and verbiage identifying what is considered in and out of compliance.
According to the proposed changes, properties will be allowed up to 10 poultry or domestic foul, regardless of the number of dwellings units. No roosters, geese, or guineas will be permitted.
Poultry and domestic fowl must be kept in an enclosure or fenced area. Poultry or domestic fowl shall be secured in a henhouse or coop during non-daylight hours. Enclosures shall be free from offensive odors and must maintain sanitary living conditions within.
Henhouses, coops, pens shall only be located in the rear yard, unless the setback requirements cannot be met in which case they may be kept in a side yard but within the required setbacks. At no time poultry or domestic fowl may be kept in a front yard or corner side yard on the street side. Henhouses, coops, and pens must be located at least fifteen (15) feet from the property line of any adjacent residential dwelling, church, school or place of business.
According to the proposed ordinance, no owner of poultry or domestic fowl shall permit the poultry or domestic fowl to be staked out on a street or alley or allow the livestock or poultry or domestic fowl to run at large in the city.
