Laserfiche WebLink
AGENDA ITEM <br />Date: July 14, 2025 <br />Item: 16 <br />Title: LA25-000014, Text Amendment: Chapter 78 Animals, Ordinance 315 <br />Presenter: Matt Karney, Planner <br />Section: Community Development Report <br />Purpose: <br />The City of Orono is proposing an amendment to the Zoning Code to provide new definitions for <br />animals, to clarify the keeping of farm animals and domestic poultry as accessory and conditional <br />uses in residential districts, and create a new supplementary standards section for the keeping of <br />farm animals and domestic poultry in residential districts. <br />2. Background: <br />On February 18, 2025, the Planning Commission reviewed a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) <br />application, LA24-000066, for the keeping of farm animals (pigeons) on a property less than two <br />(2) acres in size within the LR-IA zoning district. In their recommendation, Planning Commission <br />included a motion to research standards and language for potential text amendments regarding the <br />keeping of animals in residential districts. The City Council approved the application on March 13, <br />2025. (Report - Video) <br />The Planning Commission reviewed and discussed the proposed text amendment at the following <br />meetings: <br />April 21, 2025 Planning Commission meeting: (Report - Video) <br />May 19, 2025 Planning Commission meeting: (Report - Video) <br />June 16, 2025 Planning Commission meeting: (Report - Video) <br />Staff presented discussion questions and code language regarding animals from five (5) Minnesota <br />cities. In discussion, the Planning Commission recommended staff provide language for a text <br />amendment to fill gaps in the existing definitions, and provide flexibility for smaller lots to keep <br />birds or fowl. Staff then presented suggested language for a text amendment that included new <br />definitions for animals, farm animals, and domestic poultry, while reorganizing the requirements <br />for the keeping of animals to be based on lot size. <br />Overall the proposed ordinance will make the following changes: <br />- Clean up the Zoning Regulations pertaining to the keeping of farm animals. <br />- Provide new definitions for animal related terms. <br />- Change the farm animal standard regarding the setbacks for buildings housing the animals to <br />follow the principle building setbacks for the appliable zoning district. <br />- Allow for the keeping of domestic Poultry (female chickens or hens, pigeons, and doves) as an <br />accessory use in Residential districts on lots one-half (1/2) acre to two (2) acres in size following <br />the proposed supplementary standards. <br />3. Analysis: <br />Staff prepared discussion questions and draft language to clarify the definition of animals and the <br />standards for keeping of farm animals, and provided additional research of other Minnesota cities <br />to allow for the flexibility of keeping animals and hens on small lots within the city, as requested <br />81 <br />