Rock Island City Council started talking about an ordinance allowing backyard chickens tonight.
It comes after a similar ordinance last month that gave them the go ahead for urban hens. People in Moline can keep up to six chickens.
Council members brought it up in a study session. They first heard a presentation from the Assistant to the City Manager that gave them information about the program. No vote was taken, but a discussion was held to bring up any concerns.
The presentation brought up three different cities that have similar successful programs: Moline, Silvis and Cedar Rapids.
The program would allow permits in order to raise urban chickens. There would be some conditions such as a required class and some land requirements.
A lot of the discussion was based off of the benefits of sustainable living. City staff members say some of the concerns or downsides of keeping chickens can be easily addressed.
“I think if you regulate it properly all of those will be addressed. If you don’t allow, for example, roosters that crow, so if it’s just hens there’s going to be less noise. If we have animal control involved in some way, if chickens get out we can kind of control what happens to them or what if there is a rooster, how do we address it. So I think it’s just a matter of regulating it properly and the program will be successful,” said Assistant to the City Manager Ryan Berger.
This discussion about the new ordinance will continue with the council as they decide which path to take on the number of chickens allowed. The presentation offered three different options including a set number of chickens like Moline’s program or one based off the size of the land like Cedar Rapids.
