Ordinance Allows Saline Residents to Keep Up to 12 Chickens

Saline City Council approved an ordinance allowing residents to keep up to 12 chickens.

Last fall, city staff noticed that pet ownership ordinances prohibited residents from keeping chickens. Council, upon learning this, directed staff to write a straightforward ordinance allowing chickens. 

The issue was sent to the Code Review Committee and the Planning Commission. The planning commission had been considering an ordinance to allow up to six chickens with the potential to keep more with a special land use permit. Instead, the commission recommended an ordinance allowing up to 12 chickens.

Council unanimously approved the ordinance.

The city can use nuisance ordinances if neighbors are unduly impacted by loud chickens or messy coops.