MANKATO — It’s official: Hens can make themselves at home in Mankato, not a single resident appears interested in starting a chicken fight and at least one west Mankato family is going to grow by four chicks next spring.
An ordinance allowing backyard chickens (up to four hens, no roosters) was approved following a public hearing at Monday’s City Council meeting where no one spoke against the concept of egg-layers and broilers being legalized.
The topic had been strangely controversial the last time it arose 15-16 years ago, when intense public debates broke out at council meetings. After numerous discussion over two years, the council essentially killed the idea of allowing urban chickens in 2010 by imposing restrictions so onerous that no one ever attempted to get a permit.
The concept’s return this year has been without any public opposition, and the only testimony at the official public hearing came from Molly Smentek, who spurred the return of the topic.
“I wrote a letter to the City Council a few years ago asking for the ordinance to be changed,” said Smentek, who will be a freshman at West High in the fall.
A 4H member, Smentek has an affinity for caring for animals.
“Ever since I can remember I wanted to be a veterinarian,” she said.
Specifically, a large animal veterinarian. But Smentek has been dreaming since grade school of gaining some first-hand experience with animal husbandry, along with an opportunity to show chickens at the Blue Earth County Fair — ones she could care for daily at her Eginton Road home in Mankato.
Along with those practical reasons for lobbying to amend the City Code, there was a more whimsical motivation.
“Finally, chicks are cute,” she said, adding that she can’t wait to begin designing the coop that four newly hatched chicks will be making their home next spring.
After Smentek refuted any concerns about urban chickens attracting pests or generating bothersome odors, she left the podium to laud applause from audience members drawn to the meeting for other agenda items.
The council not only granted her request to legalize chickens, they amended the animal ordinance in a way that only lightly regulates poultry.
Hens will be permitted in the backyard of virtually any single-family home. Although a zoning permit will be required for construction of the chicken coop, as there is for any addition of a building or shed to a property, no permit will be necessary and no fee will be imposed for the chickens themselves.
The ordinance, which also includes some other animal-related amendments to the City Code, will be published in coming days in The Free Press and will be take effect 30 days after publication.