Following multiple successful and unsuccessful amendments, and following over four hours of discussion and recesses, the Kenai City Council unanimously passed Ordinance No. 3332-2023 – Amending Kenai Municipal Code Section 3.10.070-Livestock within the City Limits.
The Council passed by a vote of 7-0 the ordinance clarifying the city zones in which chickens may be kept and the quantity of chickens based on square-footage of property. Kenai residents are currently allowed to keep chickens (livestock) on designated land larger than 40,000 square feet. The keeping of chickens is not allowed in Kenai’s Urban Residential, Suburban Residential 1, Suburban Residential 2 and Townsite Historic zones.
Council Member Henry Knackstedt supported planning & zoning recommendation #1 which passed unanimously.
“Keeping of chicken hens on lots less than 40,000 square feet will be subject to the standards in Subject K. This allowance for the keeping of chicken hens does not permit commercial activities or otherwise prohibited or additional permitted or licenses required. This amendment makes it clear that commercial activities are not allowed.”
Multiple residents, many from the Woodland Subdivision, spoke against the ordinance, including Carol Freas voicing concerns on enforcement.
“If allowing raising chickens in our subdivision as well as other subdivisions affected by the ordinance; who or how will the additional activity be monitored. How the coops are built, what materials are or will be used, where on the properties will the coops be in place with proper setbacks. Will neighbors of new chicken properties be notified by the city prior to any permitting being approved, will additional animal control officers and zoning department employees be needed to handle any added monitoring, how will that affect the city budget as pointed out in some of the packet comments to date- the monitoring has been difficult.”
Council Member Alex Douthit’s amendment passed confirming landowners responsibilities.
“It is the responsibility and burden of the property owner to provide necessary information to the city potentially including a survey performed by a registered surveyor to verify conditions of the title are met, if reasonably called into question. The reason this was brought up with concern at planning and zoning was that if we have setbacks and regulations with setbacks, is it enforceable or is the city going to have to foot the bill to take measurements and hire a surveyor. This just puts it back into the responsibility of the land owners to show proof that they took the time that yes they were within the setbacks and they have to pay for it.”
Complete details on Ordinance No. 3332-2023