Farmington Council Members Take Up Chicken Discussion Tonight

Farmington city council members will tonight consider final approval of an ordinance that one resident believes should be scrapped and rewritten. 

Officials have been wrestling with the proposed ordinance since making revisions to the city code regarding exotic animals earlier this year. Under that ordinance, chickens are banned, but residents have pushed for rules to allow them. 

At a June 4 study session, Michael Weddell, whose family owns chickens, reiterated his arguments that chickens are less of a nuisance than dogs. He said if council members agree with him, they should scrap the proposed ordinance and start over. He said the draft would effectively prohibit most homeowners from keeping chickens, because of required setbacks, and doesn't address concerns about attracting rodents. 

City attorney Tom Schultz advised against a provision officials considered, allowing neighbors to weigh in on whether a homeowner could keep chickens. "We can't delegate that authority to a neighbor," he said. 

If the ordinance isn't approved, city manager Vince Pastue said, residents who have chickens will be allowed to keep what they have, but could not replace the birds once they passed on.

Mayor Tom Buck wondered, with so few people who own chickens and no complaints pending, why the city is regulating something no one's complaining about.

Pastue said once a complaint is filed, "it's too late." He stressed that officials could change the setback distances approved by the city's planning commission in their review of the ordinance. 

Council members meet tonight in a study session at 6 p.m. before taking up the chicken ordinance and the rest of their regular meeting agenda at 7 p.m. Both agendas are attached to this post.