how to "amend an ordinance"?

[WisconsinChick]

I was talking to the director of community development for menomonee falls and he said the ordinance against poultry would need to be amended in order to have chickens...How would I go about starting something, who do I talk to?

 

[WisconsinChick]

seriously no one knows?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I am sure that the exact procedure varies from city to city. Talk to your city clerk and ask the question. You may need a petition to get it added to the ballot as a referendum at the next election, or to the city council for them to amend the current ordinances. Or you may simply need to put in a formal request that the city council review it. Could be something else. Talk to your city staff.

 

[WisconsinChick]

Thank you I will do that.

 

[Sactown Chickens]

Quote:
I agree with all Sonoran has said above. To it I'll add that you will need to determine what type of ordinance needs amending (municipal code, zoning ordinance, animal ordinance etc) as sections applying to the keeping of animals are often located in varying places depending of the municipality. The city clerk will know this as well. After you find out which department's regulations cover chicken keeping (animal control, planning/zoning etc) you will need to talk to a representative of that department to get a feel for if they might be pro-chicken. Best case scenario is that the local governing body thinks favorably about changing the chicken ordinance and will present a change to the rules for you (amazingingly staff does change various items in local codes on a regular basis at the suggestions of citizens, if they agree with the premise). If you luck out and this is the case, great, as it shouldn't cost you any money. If you do not receive a favorable reception, there should be a process for a citizen to request a change to the applicable section of the code. In many cases, this will mean you have to pay for staff time, formal hearing etc. with no guarantee of success. If you choose to go this route, by all means do all the homework you can in advance to maximize your chance of getting a favorable vote. Also in this case, any positive press you can get beforehand will be of benefit along with any formal support at any public hearing. Remember, elected officials like to keep their constituents happy and if there is support from members of the public at the hearing this will increase your chances of a favorable vote.