(Pottawattamie Co) The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors this morning approved the second consideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 3.50 “Animal Care and Control”. This amendment will relax the zoning ordinance that is currently written and would allow chickens for property owners who have less than an acre of pasture and/or are in the R3 zoning districts to obtain a permit to allow chickens on their property.
Matt Wyant is the Director of Planning and Development….
Wyant explained the reason why this was brought forth by his office…
Wyant said this is just another way people can locally source their own food.
Supervisor Justin Schultz said right now it is not legal to have chickens in the R3 zoning district and he knows of a handful of folks that have chickens that are in violation of the code. He said one issue that needs to be addressed with this ordinance is it needs to be easily known what you’re zoned.
Schultz also spoke about some of his other concerns.
The Supervisors voted 4 to 1 to pass the second consideration of the amended ordinance with Supervisor Lynn Grobe voting Nay.
Another ordinance regarding private stables and keeping of fowl died for a lack of a second. This would have coordinated the two chapters of the ordinance together. No reason was given by the Supervisors as to why they did not want to approve the second consideration of an ordinance to amend Chapter 8 “Zoning Ordinance” and to adopt Ordinance 2022-05 into law.
The Supervisors then approved a motion to match the City of Council Bluffs’ $75 Urban Chicken Permit. The Supervisors set no fee ($0) for the Urban Chicken Yearly Renewal Permit.
