May 29, 2024 |
Photo – Chickens – Bigfoot99 file photo
In-town Saratoga residents are one step closer to keeping chickens. Back at the March 19th Saratoga town council meeting, former councilman Jon Nelson asked the town to allow people to keep egg-laying hens on their property.
Saratoga ordinances currently only allow chickens on undeveloped properties over five acres in size or for 4-H and FFA purposes.
On April 9th, the Saratoga Planning Commission held a public hearing about a potential chicken ordinance. Speaking at the April 16th Saratoga town council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner said residents offered a wide variety of opinions on the subject.
Penner misspoke. The following Saratoga Planning Commission meeting was on May 14th. During last week’s town council meeting, Penner said most residents supported the idea of keeping egg-laying hens in town. The public works director said he will amend the existing town ordinance and submit it to the council for approval.
Councilwoman Kathy Beck asked Penner when residents will be able to have hens. Penner said keeping chickens will be legal shortly after his amended ordinance is passed by the town council.
All ordinance changes must be read at three separate public meetings before being signed into law. Mayor Chuck Davis said he expects the amended ordinance to be passed by the middle of July.
Penner said his ordinance amendment will create an easy to obtain permit allowing residents to keep hens on their properties. The public works director said he will present the amended ordinance to the planning commission during their upcoming June 11th meeting.
The town council will then read the new ordinance during their June 18th and July 2nd meetings. The ordinance can then be signed into law after the third and final reading at the July 16th Saratoga town council meeting.
