Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />To: Chair Bollis and Planning Commission Members <br /> Adam Edwards, City Administrator <br /> <br />From: Matthew Karney, Planner <br /> <br />Date: 19 May 2025 <br /> <br />Subject: LA25-000014, Revisions to City Code regarding the Keeping of Animals in Residential <br />Districts <br /> <br /> <br />Background <br />On February 18, 2025, the Planning Commission reviewed a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application, <br />LA24-000066, for the keeping of farm animals (pigeons) on a property within the LR-1A zoning district. <br />In their recommendation to the City Council, Planning Commission included a motion to research <br />standards and language for potential text amendments regarding the keeping of animals in residential <br />districts. <br /> <br />On April 21, 2025, Staff presented discussion questions and code language regarding animals from <br />five (5) Minnesota cities. In discussion, the Planning Commission recommended to staff to: <br />1) Draft proposed animal regulations for the Planning Commission to consider in their next <br />meeting. <br />2) Focus on making minimal changes to address potential interest in raising domestic birds <br />within the city. <br />3) Consider allowing for animals on smaller lots within the city. <br />4) Address animal units and quantities of animals that could be permitted on smaller lots. <br />5) Redefine animals and farm animals, while providing a definition for domesticated or <br />household animals. <br /> <br />For this meeting, staff has prepared definitions for animals, farm animals, domesticated animals and <br />domestic poultry. Additionally, staff has prepared land use changes that would allow for the keeping <br />of farm animals and domestic poultry to be dependent on a property’s lot size instead of its zone <br />district, opening the door for the keeping of domestic poultry on smaller lots within the City. <br /> <br />A clean up Chapter 62 [Animals] of the City Code is proposed as a part of the eventual Text <br />Amendment regarding animals, and will be provided during the formal process. <br /> <br />Discussion Questions <br />1) Do the new definitions of animals, domesticated animals and farm animals address the <br />discussion held from the April 21, 2025 Planning Commission discussion? Does the definition <br />of domestic poultry provide an effective mechanism to allow for the keeping of cooped <br />birds on smaller lots in Orono? <br />2) Is there concern with changing the keeping of farm animals as an accessory use to be <br />dependent on lot size opposed to zone district? <br />3) Is allowing up to five (5) domestic poultry on a lot at least a half-acre in size regardless of <br />zoning an appropriate standard? <br />4) Are there other areas of concern should staff focus on in the Animals Text Amendment? <br />Application Summary: Discuss proposed revisions to the City Code regarding Animals. <br />Staff Recommendation: Review the proposed text revisions and provide guidance to Staff for <br />next steps. <br />87