Adopt Ordinance #26-02, Repealing and Replacing Chapter 10 for Animal Regulations

This case pertains to a repeal of the current Ramsey City Code Chapter 10 and the concurrent replacement of Ramsey City Code Chapter 10 as part of the Animal Code Update.

The Animal Code is intended to work in tandem with Zoning, Building, and Nuisance Codes to regulate the keeping of animals in the City of Ramsey. Ramsey's Animal Code was first established in 1967, when Ramsey was still a township. Several amendments to this code have taken place since then, with significant overhauls in 1974 (in preparation for Ramsey's incorporation), 1978 (the first major city-wide recodification), 1988 (#88-2), 1990 (#90-11), 2002 (#02-05, #02-06, and #02-07), 2015 (#15-12) and 2022 (#22-03), and other significant amendments in 2008 (#08-09), 2012 (#12-06 and #12-11) 2021 (#21-08), 2024 (#24-03), and 2025 (25-05).

Over the past few years, Staff in the Community Development and Police Departments have received several complaints, comments, and questions regarding our current animal regulations. A majority of the feedback received from members of the public indicated that the existing Code is difficult to navigate, has many inconsistent terms and regulations, has some complex and burdensome regulations, and lacks adequate language to handle habitual noise and other animal-related nuisances. City Staff have met regularly to discuss various aspects of the existing Code and determine what should be kept, modified, added, or deleted in the proposed Code in response to our residents. These meetings regularly included the City Planner and Community Service Officers, with additional participation and input from staff in the Planning, Code Enforcement, and the Police Department. The meetings centered around the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of the existing Code while addressing Ramsey's vision for the future.

The goals of updating the Code include the following:

• Addressing concerns and questions from residents, such as:
  • Addressing noisy animals, including roosters and crowing hens;
  • Removing the provision requiring animal units to round down to the nearest quarter-acre, thus allowing residents more flexibility for the keeping of animals, such as poultry and fowl;
  • Simplifying the "animal unit" structure to make it easier for residents to read and understand what animals (and how many) they can keep on their property;
  • Codifying how Staff determines the allowable number of animals per property area for consistency and transparency;
  • Aligning barn, stable, and enclosure setbacks with accessory structure setbacks in Chapter 106 for consistency and flexibility;
  • Adjusting the remaining regulations from the Horse Care Commission to address current concerns about manure, transportation, and damage to public property from any animal;
  • Consolidating performance, maintenance, and care standards for all animals to reduce redundancy and inconsistencies between each allowable species; and
  • Improving processes to align with current practices and capacity amongst Community Development and Police Staff.
• Consistency in terms and definitions
• Consistency in interpretation and administration
• Clear purpose and intent of the code
• Clear distinctions between what animals (and how many) are allowed on properties of all sizes
• Streamlined processes for dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs, private kennel licenses, and non-traditional animal licenses.
• Easier and improved ability to read and understand the code for all users (including residents and Staff).

At the City Council work session on November 25, 2025, Staff discussed various topics pertaining to animal regulations. Additional feedback was received by the City Council during the introduction of the ordinance on January 27, 2026. Feedback and comments from the City Council have been incorporated into the draft Code.

There are two attached draft codes for reference. The clean draft is in ordinance form. The marked-up draft is color-coded to show where the language came from for transparency.

• Existing text to be retained is noted in black font.
• New text to be added is noted in blue font.
• Text that is rephrased or restructured, but that retains the general intent of current regulations, is noted in gold font.
• Text that is proposed for deletion is noted in red strike-through font.

Much of the language is retained from the existing Code, with some rearrangements and consolidations of duplicated language. There is also a substantial amount of new language added to the Code. These sections were created by City Staff and cross-referenced with various codes of nearby cities. There are several portions that are proposed for deletion. The current marked-up draft has several parts shown in a red strike-through font for transparency that Staff did not propose to keep these portions of the Code language. The clean draft and Ordinance are in black typeface with all deleted text removed for clarity.

As was the case with the Zoning Code update in 2023 and the Sign Code update in 2025, most property owners will not experience any negative impacts as bulk standards will remain essentially the same or become slightly less restrictive.

Both the clean and marked-up versions of the Animal Code Update have been revised slightly since the ordinance introduction to include minor changes as suggested by the City Attorney. Additionally, per City Council's feedback during the ordinance's introduction, the animal unit table was updated to reflect the number of animal head per acre for each animal type.

A copy of the Ordinance is posted on the bulletin board in the lobby of City Hall, and Staff will maintain this posting until the day after the adoption.

Introduction date: 1/27/2026
Ordinance posting dates: 1/27/2026 to 2/11/2026
Adoption date: 2/10/2026
Publication date: 2/13/2026
Effective date: 2/13/2026

This ordinance becomes effective upon publication, subject to City Charter Section 5.07.

Alternatives to consider:

1. Adopt the ordinance as introduced by City Council on January 27, 2026.
2. Adopt the ordinance with modifications the Council sees appropriate based on discussion.
3. Deny the ordinance and keep the existing language in place.

The Animal Code Update is being handled through Staff's normal duties. All work has been done in-house by Planning and Police staff without the use of consultants, aside from assistance by the City Attorney.

The City Council unanimously voted to introduce the Animal Code Update, with a modification to the animal unit table formatting, at their regular meeting on January 27th, 2026.

Motion to Adopt Ordinance #26-02, Repealing and Replacing Chapter 10 for Animal Regulations.

Roll call vote.