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ORDINANCE NO. O-1213-18 UPON SECOND AND FINAL READING: AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING SECTION 3-501 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF NORMAN TO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS TO KEEP AND MAINTAIN CHICKENS OR LAYING HENS IN R-1, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT, AND ADDING SECTIONS 3-115 AND 3-116 TO INCLUDE DEFINITIONS FOR REQUIRED STRUCTURES; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF.
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BACKGROUND: On September 12, 2012, staff presented the City Council Oversight Committee with a proposed ordinance related to the keeping of chickens in urban settings. The ordinance packet also included research the committee requested on the subject of keeping pygmy goats in the City limits, along with articles on diseases sometimes associated with poultry-keeping submitted by a concerned citizen.
In addition to staff and council members, discussion participants included several members of the public who have experience keeping chickens in the city and two citizens who oppose the idea. Staff also made a presentation on the subject of urban chickens to the Oversight Committee on April 4, 2012 and to City Council at the May 15, 2012 Study Session.
Current City ordinances restrict the place and manner under which chickens can be kept inside city limits. After the staff presentation, committee members discussed the conditions, place, and manner under which chickens could be kept, heard public comment, and requested that staff prepare a revised ordinance outlining such conditions.
DISCUSSION: During committee meetings and the study session, staff reported that a growing number of Norman citizens have expressed interest in keeping chickens, mirroring nationwide trends. The April 4 meeting packets included a 120-name petition the City received requesting this ordinance change. Based on their research, staff reported that growing interest in keeping chickens in urban settings is driven primarily by three factors:
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