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New ordinances allow residents to keep chickens and horses
HARTINGTON — Local residents will now be allowed to keep backyard chickens and even horses inside city limits — as long as they follow new licensing and property requirements recently approved by the City Council.
The Council passed three ordinances on Oct. 14 that lift the long-standing ban on chickens and horses and set new rules for keeping them responsibly in residential areas.
Councilman Chris Bartling was the only Council member voting against the plan. He has been opposed to allowing chickens within city limits since the issue was first discussed last spring.
Under the new rules, residents who live in single-family homes can keep up to six hens (no roosters allowed). A $25 annual license is required from the city clerk before acquiring the birds.
The chickens must be kept in a covered and fenced coop located in the back yard, at least 40 feet away from any neighboring home. The enclosure must be built to prevent rodents, and properly store feed to avoid attracting pests.
No chicken slaughtering is allowed within city limits.
Licenses expire each Dec. 31 and must be renewed each year. Anyone found violating the ordinance may face a minimum $100 fine for the first offense and $10 for each day the violation continues.
A companion ordinance allows residents with at least two acres of property to keep up to three horses within city limits. A $25 yearly license is also required.
Horses must be kept in a stable, corral, or fenced pasture, and the enclosure must be at least 75 feet from any neighboring home. Feed and bedding must be stored to discourage rodents, and the property must be maintained in sanitary condition.
As with the chicken ordinance, violations could lead to license revocation or fines.
Other farm animals — including cows, pigs, sheep, goats, turkeys and geese — remain prohibited within Hartington’s city limits. Wild animals such as raccoons, foxes or deer also cannot be kept as pets.
All three ordinances — Nos. 911, 912, and 913 — take effect this week.
Also Tuesday, the Council held a 20-minute executive session to discuss the city's zoning administrator position.
In other action, Chris Miller was reappointed to the Community Redevelopment Authority Board for a five-year term.
The Hartington Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) was formed in November 2010 to help the city plan and carry out local improvement projects.
The CRA focuses on areas of Hartington that are considered to be either rundown or in need of new development. Its goal is to encourage growth, attract investment, and keep the community vibrant.
One of the main tools the CRA uses is Tax Increment Financing (TIF), which allows future property tax revenue from new improvements to help pay for the cost of redevelopment.
This approach helps fund projects that might not otherwise be possible without extra support.
In other action, the Council approved Aaron Wiechelman as a new EMT. Wiechelman recently completed extensive training for the position.
The Council also decided to replace the lighting in the community complex parking lot.
The lights have all turned purple and are no longer putting out as much light as they should. It will cost the city approximately $825 per light to replace the lights. NPPD has agreed to replace the lights for the city at no charge.
