The City Council considered a request to allow more chickens per household during its March 12 meeting. The council ultimately came up with a suggestion that surprised the resident who requested the increase.
At last month’s City Council meeting, Wyatt King asked the city to change its ordinance regarding chicken ownership. The current ordinance allows one chicken per 2,000 square feet of land with a maximum of six chickens. He recommended the ordinance be changed allowing one chicken per 1,000 square feet of land with a maximum of 10 chickens, as well as a duty to deter pests.
The council asked staff to return with a report on chickens.
“We looked at several cities throughout the Willamette Valley and it’s all over the place,” City Manager Ron Whitlatch said when referring to procedures other cities use to limit or allow chickens.
As such, it really came down to the Lebanon council deciding on its own what it wanted, he said. His only concern was how future smaller lots in Lebanon could be impacted by too many chickens. He also noted that there have been few complaints pertaining to chickens regarding smell and maintenance.
Councilor Jeremy Salvage said he was fine with King’s request. Councilor David McClain agreed, and even threw out a number that ultimately changed the original ask.
“There isn’t a big difference between six chickens and 12 chickens,” he said. “I would be in favor of a maximum of 12, for that matter.”
After further back and forth, and a little bit of joking, the council agreed to ask staff to draft an ordinance allowing one chicken per 1,000 square feet of land, with a maximum of 12 chickens allowed.
King expressed pleasant surprise at the recommendation and said he was “super happy” about it.
“I very much appreciate the City Council. I love this,” he said. “It’s gonna make my wife happy. It’s gonna show my boy how the government works. This is what city government is all about.”
Still, King noted he won’t count his chickens before they hatch – because the ordinance has not yet been drafted and approved.
In other business, the council:
- Heard a presentation from Lebanon Strawberry Festival and an update from Lebanon Downtown Association.
- Approved a resolution to eliminate one parking spot on C Street to make room for garbage services to turn around.
- Agreed the city should implement a policy that all park fee waiver requests be submitted to the Chamber of Commerce through the existing tourism grant program.
- Heard a year review and update from IT Director Brent Hurst, who noted the move of council chambers to the Lebanon Public Library is underway and is expected to be ready this year.
- Heard from Whitlatch that Airport Road will be closed for about four months, starting March 31, for installation of the Airport/Stoltz Hill Road traffic signal.