Mason City council gives initial approval to updating rules on keeping chickens, bees
MASON CITY — The City Council in Mason City last week approved the first reading of updating the ordinance for the keeping of chickens and bees on private property as well as adding a permit process for the keeping of chickens.
The number of chickens allowed would drop from the current 25 down to six to stay in line with other cities around the state.
City Administrator Aaron Burnett says the changes come after a discussion with law enforcement, those who keep chickens and bees, as well as those who have made complaints. “I think what’s put in front of you is a good step at reigning that in. Some folks will say it’s too restrictive, others will tell you it’s not restrictive enough. I think that it’s a good approach at that.”
The ordinance also clarifies rules for beekeeping inside the city limits. Chris Miller is a city management intern working with the city this summer. “To basically make sure that hives or colonies are kept in a manner that’s inaccessible to the general public. We kind of updated the language about supplying water, as well as if the hives themselves exhibit unusual or aggressive characteristics, there was no language about anything like that. In this case, we added something if they were to exhibit aggressive tendencies.”
Permits for keeping chickens would be issued for one year, and no permit shall authorize the keeping of roosters after January 1st of next year.
Properties that are zoned agricultural and are inside the city limits are exempt from the changes.
