Help save my 11 yr olds favorite pets where there is an ambiguous code

[katscoop]

I have been invited to write a proposal for our city council to specifically allow chickens. An anonymous tip brought a police officer to my door this week but no one can point to the code that specifically disallows chickens or show that they don't meet the exception of they remain inside your personal residence as pets, residence including yard. To see our current code, go here https://library.municode.com/ks/gre...s?nodeId=TIT6AN_CH6.08ANGE_6.08.070KEANWIPRXC
Any tips for drawing people to our cause and any words of wisdom/ resources for drafting the proposal? Any help would save my 11 year olds favorite pets. Thank you!

 

[Brooks_]

You are looking at changing a code that is clear. There are several threads with good tips on how to do it.

D.All household pets other than dogs and cats, shall be kept and maintained at all times inside the personal residence of their owner and/or harborer;

including yard

"Owner or harborer" means any person who, for three consecutive days, shall allow any animal to remain or be on his premises, or to be fed within his home, yard or place of business or any other premises which he controls.
(emphasis mine)

This is being used to define owner/harborer, not to define the yard as part of your personal residence.

 

[SourRoses]

"Owner or harborer" means any person who, for three consecutive days, shall allow any animal to remain or be on his premises, or to be fed within his home, yard or place of business or any other premises which he controls.
(emphasis mine)

OT: I just have to say... Wow, if I lived there, I would own so many critters!

 

[katscoop]

I have spoken to city council member who has spoken to city attorney, Jr code official, and former kbi and law enforcement and no one I have spoken to thinks that is clear. My personal residence includes my yard, the general legal consensus. It's certainly not public property. If you want to point in any helpful direction, that would be great!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

If you want to point in any helpful direction

@Brooks_ did point to a helpful direction, just one that you did not want to hear or chose to disregard. Sorry but it looks pretty clear to me as well, you can't keep chickens in your yard and call them a household pet. They are fowl, which is prohibited in the first line of the code:

It is unlawful for any person to own, harbor or keep within the city any wild or domestic animal, fowl, bird and reptile, except as hereinafter provided:

 

[katscoop]

Thank you folks, truly everyone I have talked to is baffled by the code including Jr code officer, councilman, etc. By that measure you can't keep any non traditional pet including bunnies in your backyard. We have always treated our birds like pets and they are widely regarded as pets in US today. I know there are helpful threads, but some specifics would be easier than sifting. I'll let you know how the fight goes. Thanks again.

 

[Brooks_]

Them not being able to read it is probably to your benefit.
These are some of the most common tips for this type of issue (copied from another thread).

Community support/petitions
A sympathetic person on the counsel/commission
References to nearby areas that allow and don't have the perceived issues that led to the ban in the first place.
Studies showing the environmental benefits
Get elected yourself.

 

[GCrumb]

Hmm. To me this code means you can keep chickens in your yard:

It is unlawful for any person to own, harbor or keep within the city any wild or domestic animal, fowl, bird and reptile, except as hereinafter provided:

D. All household pets other than dogs and cats, shall be kept and maintained at all times inside the personal residence of their owner and/or harborer;

So you can't keep fowl, EXCEPT if you keep them at your home. You can't keep them in the abandoned Blockbuster. You can't rent a vacant lot and start a chicken farm. Classroom pets at schools are technically illegal.

 

[Brooks_]

Classroom pets at schools are technically illegal.

In most cases, schools are county property. The city would have no say.

 

[GCrumb]

Naw, schools are probably in the city regardless of who owns them, they're not like embassies.

Nobody will attempt to enforce that law that way, because that's not what it's about, but it is what it says.