Title/Name/Summary
Village Code Amendment: Allow Hens in Residential Districts via Health, Police, and Development Regulations
History
AMENDMENT SUMMARY
SECTION 6-2-2-1 Animals
Amend code language to regulate the keeping of hens on properties within the Village that are 1 acre or more in size, ensuring the welfare of the hens and minimizing potential nuisances to neighbors.
SECTION 8-4-15 Keeping of Certain Animals Prohibited
Amend code language to regulate the keeping of hens on properties within the Village that are 1 acre or more in size, ensuring the welfare of the hens and minimizing potential nuisances to neighbors.
SECTION 6-302. Accessory Structures and Uses
Allow for a pen, coop, building, or other enclosure for the keeping of hens as a permitted accessory structure in residential zoning districts.
AMENDMENT EXPLANATION
The goal of this amendment is to enable residents to raise up to 8 hens (chickens) while creating standards that ensure that domesticated hens do not create a nuisance nor adversely impact the use and enjoyment of adjacent properties.
The purpose of the Land Development Code (LDC) is “to establish standards and regulations for review and approval of all proposed development of property in the Village, and to provide a development review process that will be comprehensive, consistent, and efficient in the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and other goals, polices and standards of the Village.” This amendment supports the establishment regulations and a review process for hen-keeping as an accessory use in residential zoning districts.
The objective of this amendment is to allow for greater flexibility in the Village Code and Land Development Code while strictly regulating hens and hen-keeping structures.
Due to the potential nuisance created by the presence of a pen, coop, building, and/or other enclosure for the keeping of hens, staff recommends allowing hens only as outlined below.
Please see Amendment Report attached in file #2024-0350 for proposed text changes.
Plan Commission Discussion
Present at the Plan Commission were 5 Commissioners in person, 1 Commissioner electronically, and members of staff. Discussion ranged from reasoning for the code amendment to general questions pertaining to hens. Overall, the commissioners expressed support for the code amendment. The Plan Commission approved the code amendment unanimously per the Staff Recommended Action.
Plan Commission Motion
Regarding Case Number 2024-0350, I move to approve the Staff Recommended Action as presented in the Staff Report to the Plan Commission for this case.
This agenda item is being considered by the Committee of the Whole and the Village Board of Trustees on the same night.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to recommend to the Village Board to approve case number 2024-0403, also known as Substantive Amendment: Allow Hens in Residential Districts via Health, Police, and Development Regulations;
AND
Move to adopt an ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 8, CHAPTER 4 AND TITLE 6, CHAPTER 2 OF THE ORLAND PARK VILLAGE CODE RELATIVE TO THE KEEPING OF CHICKENS.
THIS PART IS FOR REFERENCE ONLY (NOT NECESSARY TO BE READ)
I move to recommend the Village Board approve the Village Code Amendments for Sections 6-2-2-1, 8-4-15, as presented in the attached report titled " 05/07/2024 Land Development Code Amendments" dated May 2, 2024.