Marion, IA, Seeking Public Input on Potential New Urban Chicken Ordinance

One year ago last month, Iowa City finally passed an "urban chicken" ordinance. Urban chicken farmers must take a class and get their urban chicken farm approved by the animal shelter. They can then raised up to four hens (no roosters!!) for three years before they must renew their permits. Not only that, their immediate neighbors have the ability to veto their ability to raise their chickens. Iowa City residents were warned of chaos if that ordinance passed. Residents were warned of crowing, nasty smells, awful diseases, and eloping chickens. But the actual results of this ordinance have been pretty much yawn-worthy.

Now another nearby community has decided to explore the idea of urban chickens. The Marion City Council has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, January 23rd, at 7:00 PM at the Marion City Hall to gather public input on starting its own urban chicken ordinance.

Marion's ordinance would allow residents of Marion "in certain neighborhoods within city limits" to raise up to six hens. Like Iowa City, potential urban chicken farmers would have to take a special class and they would have to get the permission of their neighbors in order to start their own urban chicken farm.

Nearby Cedar Rapids, IA, has had its own urban chicken ordinance since September 2010 and (as far as I can tell) they have had minimal problems since that time. Marion and Cedar Rapids are pretty much like Iowa City and Coralville (and to a lesser extent North Liberty). They pretty much bleed into each other from the borders. I don't know why, considering that I keep my eyes out for Iowa urban chicken stories, but I actually assumed that Marion already allowed for urban chickens.

I will post more once I learn more.