Introduce Ordinance #22-03 Amending Chapter 10 of City Code: Animals

In July 2021, the City Council recommended the public hearing be postponed for the introduction of Ordinance 21-11 until the City has made recommended changes, and a committee was assigned during the regular meeting on November 9th. Members of Staff met with three (3) members of the City Council on two separate occasions in November to discuss and revise the drafted ordinance. The proposed Ordinance was updated to include information received since the item was last discussed.

The City Council reviewed and recommended Staff move forward with Ordinance #22-03 to a Regular Meeting for introduction during their Work Session on December 14, 2021.

A notice was posted in the City's Official Newspaper, the Anoka County UnionHerald.

City Council Meetings

• May 11th, 2021 Work Session:
  • Discussion of rooster restrictions currently implemented, and plans to revise in the future.
• July 27th, 2021 Regular Meeting:
  • The City Council and discussed several aspects of the proposed ordinance which included updating requirements for roosters, cats, agricultural animals, and beekeeping. A motion was made to continue the public hearing at the August 10th meeting.
• August 10th, 2021 Regular Meeting:
  • Staff recommended postponing the public hearing for 90 days to receive public comment and for further review. Motion was passed by the City Council to review again at their meeting on November 9th.
• November 9th, 2021 Regular Meeting:
  • Review of updated ordinance and proposed questionnaire. A committee was designated to address concerns with staff, with timeframe of 30 days.
• December 14, 2021 Work Session
  • City Council recommended Staff move forward with a case for introduction.

Committee Meetings

• November 19th, 2021 :
  • Staff met with Councilmembers Howell, Musgrove, and Specht to review the draft proposed at the November 9th meeting.
• November 30th, 2021 :
  • Staff revised the ordinance with comments received from the meeting on November 19th and presented to the Councilmembers for review. Additional revisions were requested which were incorporated into the draft attached to this case.

Key Ordinance Revisions

• Redacted Section 10.1 entirely and replace with subsections for prohibited, non-domestic, and domestic animals:
  • Prohibited Animals
    • Section 10-1. – Keeping of certain animals, livestock, and poultry.
      (a) Prohibited animals
      (1) The following animals are prohibited within the City:
      a. Any animal or species prohibited by state or federal law;
      b. All large cats of the family Felidae, such as lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards,
      cougars and ocelots, except commonly accepted domesticated house cats.
      c. All members of the family Canidae, such as wolves, foxes, coyotes,
      dingoes and jackals, except domesticated dogs.
      d. All poisonous animals, including snakes; that upon touch or bite may cause
      hallucinations, alter cardiopulmonary functions, or even death;
      e. Dangerous farm type animals, including bison, emus, and ostrich, except
      with a non-traditional animal license.
      f. All other animals which are not listed explicitly above, but which can be
      easily defined in this chapter as an exotic animal, including bears,
      wolverines, and badgers;
      (2) Persons keeping animals for a public zoo as volunteers, docents, or otherwise,
      any bona fide research institution or veterinary hospital are exempt from the
      provisions of this chapter, provided protective devices adequate to prevent such
      animals from escaping or injuring the public are provided.
  • Non-Domestic Animals
    • Addressing agricultural animals based on family and heads per unit with a minimum acreage requirement for some non-domestic animals
    • Addressing Poultry/Fowl separately - with roosters allowed on parcels 2.5 acres in size or larger with an enclosure meeting the setbacks for barns/stables
    • Addressing special requirements for cattle and swine families
    • Horses section moved to non-domestic animals from Article II
    • Non-Traditional Animal License section unchanged, just reorganized
    • Beekeeping license as a zoning permit with hive standards (discuss proposed number with EPB Member Jared Little, who proposed the number of bee hives table)
    • Miscellaneous maintenance standards for all non-domestic animals
  • Domestic Animals
    • List includes dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, caged birds, non-venomous snakes and lizards, fish, domestic ferrets and pot-bellied pigs.
• Revised definition of "at large" in Section 10.2
• Clarify animals in the barns and stables requirements of Section 10.3
• Potential removal of the cats additions to the ordinance (based on Council comments)

Case Attachments

1. Ordinance #22-03
2. Research of surrounding cities' animal standards
3. City Council meeting minutes regarding proposed Ordinance #21-11, and current Ordinance #22-03

Staff is handling this case as part of their regular duties.

Staff recommends introducing Ordinance #22-03 amending Chapter 10 of City Code.

Motion to introduce Ordinance #22-03 amending Chapter 10 of City Code.