The Overland Park City Council has agreed to permanently allow residents to keep chickens in the backyards of smaller, single-family homes. The council on Monday voted 7-3 to approve an ordinance allowing hens on lots as small as 0.2 acres, with certain regulations. The city also is establishing a permit fee to raise chickens, which would be $100 for the first year and $50 to renew it. The decision comes after a two-year pilot program, where the city tested out allowing homeowners to obtain permits to keep chickens on lots as small as a quarter-acre. Overland Park previously only allowed backyard chickens on lots that were 3 acres or larger. A growing number of cities have allowed backyard chickens since the fad picked up more than a decade ago, including Kansas City, Lee’s Summit, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Mission and several others. Proponents argue keeping chickens offers residents a healthier alternative to buying eggs in a grocery store. They contend that as long as coops are well-maintained and the fowl are taken care of, the birds can go almost unnoticed.
Source: Joco 913 News
