Hancock allows chickens in the city, residents express concern for vague language

Hancock’s chickens have come home to roost. Last night the Hancock city council passed the city’s animal ordinance. The framework of the language now allows a household up to four chickens on the property. However, city residents voiced concern that the language proposed remains vague in key areas. Such as limited language around the keeping of exotic animals, feeding animals like chipmunks or birds, and keeping dogs on leash.

There were a few people up here who spoke against the ordinance, not the chickens, not the ordinance as a whole. They just said against the ordinance that it was either too vague or there were holes in it and stuff like that. And I guess I didn’t think about it last week because I was so focused on the chickens. It does make sense. Nothing is ever really perfect. And you’re right, you can imagine stuff. That’s what we said about the last ordinance. So you never brought it back up in a minute. I never did either, said Council Rick Freeman. But again, I live in the city and give up some freedoms for my property. I can’t park my camper where I want. I can’t plug my camper into the house. So what I’m saying is, I live in the city for a reason because I have convenience. I don’t live out there. And I know some people cannot make it out there because they don’t have the funds, they can’t do it. But yeah, moved into the city of Hancock, knowing all the ordinances are here at City Hall and you couldn’t read them all.

Mayor Pro-tem Lisa McKenzie led the meeting in Mayor Kurt Rickard’s absence. She expressed that municipal ordinance language is often kept vague to allow variances when necessary. Councilor Whitney Warstler shared that the ordinance committee that developed the language mentioned the possible need for variances to allow beekeeping.

I would say that ordinances may need to be looked at and updated. They’re living rules that work or don’t work, needing to be updated and amended on occasion. – Lisa McKenzie, Mayor Pro-tem, Hancock City Council

If my property value would get hurt from somebody having chicken and it just stinks, this, that, that would be a concern for the city council, correct? I feel that four people here shouldn’t choose between having chickens. I think this should be something that should be on the ballot. Let the citizens speak. Let them speak. It’s your property. You might want to say, okay, I want a chicken so bad. And all of a sudden it might just come back to haunt you, say, jeez, oh, peace. Or just a lot of extra work on Dave. Dave, you’ve been quiet over there with this. You’ll be patrolling chickens if this passes. – Councilor Ron Blau, Hancock City Council

After the council passed the ordinance by a vote of four to two. Residents expressed disappointment. Adding that the ordinance could have waited on the table until new councilors were sworn in, or to allow the committee more time to research other municipal ordinances.

I’m going to continue feeding birds. I’m going to fight your language as much as I can To prove whether or not there’s an intention It’s silly that we had to get we have to give up Wildlife so that you can have a domestic chicken I hope people remember this during the election time there were two city council members here to listen to you the rest of them didn’t The rest of them told me that your opinion didn’t matter. – Shannon Perkins, Resident, City of Hancock

Hancock’s animal ordinance can be found online. The city council will hold an organizational meeting to swear in new councilors following the election. The new council will meet for the first time on November 13th.