Sheldon, Iowa — When the Sheldon City Council met Wednesday they spent much of their time discussing how to handle requests from citizens to keep chickens or other ‘livestock’ on their property. 14-year-old Angie Juarez, who lives at 629 3rd Avenue, told the council that when they built a cage for some chickens and ducks she was not aware that city approval was required. Juarez said she has removed the roosters and is looking for a home for the ducks outside of the city, but would like to keep the chickens. City Manager Sam Kooiker has expressed the feeling that it was an item that should come before the Board of Adjustment.
During the discussion there was a motion to deny the request by Juarez, but most council members felt it would not be fair to deny the request while there were many others in the city who had chickens and had not come to the council. They then passed a motion to allow her to have the birds until the Planning and Zoning Commission comes up with a recommendation.
The current Sheldon City code states that “It is unlawful for a person to keep livestock within the City except by written consent of the Council or except in compliance with the City’s zoning regulations”. Later in the meeting the Council heard the first reading of an ordinance amendment that would delete the words ‘except by written consent of the Council’. The ordinance amendment was passed on to it’s second reading at the next Council meeting.
In other business, the council gave their approval to a request from the SCDC for downtown ‘Trick or Treating’, over the objection of council member Shawn Broesder. Broesder thought it not advisable in light of COVID-19 precautions.
The council approved the SCAT application from Brian Wielenga, as well as the appointment of Reserve Police Officer Tara Roorda.
Urban Forester Andrew Larson reported that a study funded by the Department of Natural Resources shows that Sheldon has 1,718 City-owned trees. Larson stated that 39 percent of those are ash trees that will eventually be destroyed by the emerald ash borer.
