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Council to consider permitting system to allow fowl, horses inside city limits
HARTINGTON — Chickens could soon no longer be on the chopping block in Hartington.
The Hartington City Council Monday discussed reversing its stance on allowing chickens and horses to be housed inside city limits.
The animals would only be allowed through a new permitting system, though.
Council members originally decided early this summer they needed to put some teeth in an ordinance that banned the animals from being housed inside city limits. A system that fined people in violation of the city ordinance was then passed and put into a place.
That action prompted 14-year-old Sylvie Neiman to address the Council in hopes of saving her small chicken flock.
After listening to Neiman's report, council members began debating allowing these animals inside city limits, but only if a permit system were used to help the city better monitor the animals. This would also give the council the authority to deny or revoke a permit if an animal owner was drawing too many complaints.
Monday night the Council directed City Attorney Nikki Brandt to draft an ordinance to allow a flock of up to six chickens to be housed per property. No roosters would be allowed, however. Each flock would need a permit and only one permit would be granted per each property, meaning multiple flocks could not be housed at the same address. The permit would then have to be renewed each year in order to stay in compliance with city code.
Mayor Mark Becker said the system, if adopted, would give the city more control over the animals.
The new ordinance may also include language allowing local residents to keep a horse on their property, but only if that property was a two-acre lot or larger.
