A proposed ordinance that would formally prohibit chickens and other fowl in single-family residential areas has sparked new conversation among Platte City residents but officials say that’s exactly the goal.
The issue was the subject of a public hearing held by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at City Hall.
The proposed change would remove references to chickens and other fowl from the city’s land-use code and instead create a new ordinance — Section 205.035 — explicitly banning the keeping of chickens and fowl in all residential districts. City leaders emphasize that the hearing is not a final decision, but rather the start of a broader public process.
“The upcoming Planning and Zoning public hearing on residential chicken regulations is the first step in a multi-part process to address increased resident interest in residential chickens (both for and against),” Mayor Steven Hoeger said in a statement. “The goal of the process is to allow residents to have direct involvement in determining whether or not residential chickens should be allowed in Platte City and, if so, under what conditions.”
Currently, chickens are effectively banned under zoning rules that require a two-acre minimum lot size, a condition met by only three parcels in the city. That language has been in place since 2004, but enforcement has historically been lax until this year’s spring code enforcement sweep revealed more widespread chicken keeping than city officials previously realized.
Rather than imposing fines, the Board of Aldermen approved a 90-day enforcement moratorium in May. That temporary pause is set to expire on Aug. 27, but the city’s Public Safety Committee is reviewing a second 90-day extension that could go before the board on Aug. 26.
City officials say moving oversight of chicken regulations out of zoning and into general city ordinances will make the rules easier to understand and adjust based on community feedback.
Some residents have taken to social media to encourage civil discourse and better understanding.
“Let’s keep our pitchforks sheathed for now,” Jason Thompson said in a Facebook comment. “To be clear, I’m pro-chicken and I don’t think there’s very many people who are explicitly anti-chicken. I don’t think anyone woke up today and thought, ‘Let’s ban chickens in Platte City!’ Rather I think elected officials want to get the conversation started.”
Hoeger echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that no decisions have been made and that community input can help shape what comes next.
“It’s much too soon to reach judgment on the final outcome of this issue,” Hoeger said. “The Board knows that this is an important issue to many of our residents and it is too important for the Board simply to impose any outcome without having residents involved in the process.”
Additional meetings, including committee reviews and full Board discussions, are expected in the coming months.