Second Reading of Chicken Ordinance in Charles City Fails to Fly

An ordinance to allow residents to own chickens within Charles City won’t “fly the coop” anytime soon.

Last month, the first reading of the urban chicken ordinance passed on a split vote, with council members Phil Knighten, Phoebe Pittman and Krista Noah in favor, while Patrick Lumley and Jeff Otto were opposed.

Monday (08.03) night, the City Council took up the second reading of the ordinance, with Mayor Dean Andrews first addressing one of the questions left unanswered in the ordinance: what to do with chickens if owners violate the ordinance, resulting in removal of the chickens from their property.

Councilman Patrick Lumley again held firm against chicken ownership.

Andrews countered.

Voting on the second reading of the ordinance Monday night came without Noah, thus the reading failed to pass on a 2-2 vote.  

City Attorney Brad Sloter on what happens now.

Thus, chicken ownership in City limits remains illegal.