CAGE-FREE CHICKENS walk in a fenced pasture at an organic farm near Waukon, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, file)

KINGSFORD — Changes specific to chickens will be considered before a livestock ordinance comes before the Kingsford City Council for a vote.

After a public hearing Monday, City Attorney Henry McRoberts was directed to revise the ordinance to allow for a small number of chickens in residential areas consisting of large parcels — 1 acre or more.

The revision will be brought back to the planning commission. If approved by that panel, it will be introduced again to the council to request a new public hearing.

During Monday’s hearing, resident Susan Smith asked if they could be grandfathered in because before changes made in 2023, they were in compliance with the ordinance that allowed chickens.

Under that ordinance, chickens had to be 500 feet from the property line. But in 2023, the council made it illegal to have chickens and other livestock in the city after a problem developed with people having hobby farms, City Manager Mike Stelmaszek said.

Other proposed changes considered Monday included increasing fines and allowing public safety officers to impound the animals.

Council member Michael Flaminio was not in favor of having chickens in the city. “Residential neighborhoods are residential neighborhoods. They don’t want to have to deal with the noise and smell,” he said.

Council member Dennis Baldinelli said he would be in favor of some allowance for a small amount of birds.

Mayor pro tem Daniel Freeman said he’d like to have something in the ordinance about roosters.

In other business, the council:

— After a public hearing, approved changes to an ordinance regulating commercial vehicles in a residential area. The ordinance generally applies to the extended parking of a commercial truck, truck-tractor, trailer or semitrailer or other commercial vehicle with a load capacity in excess of one-half ton. It increases fines to $100 plus court costs for first offense; $200 and court costs for second offense within the same year; $500 and court costs for third offense within the same year; and $1,000 and court costs for fourth offense within the same year. The officers would also have the right to place a wheel lock or tow the vehicle at the owner’s expense.

— Approved a new contract through Jan. 1, 2027, with U.P. Maintenance and Janitorial Services. The new contract increases costs by 20% but is still cheaper than previous companies contracted to clean City Hall. Stelmaszek said they were very satisfied with the services provided by the company. The contract is for three visits per week from Nov. 16 through April 14 for two hours each at $168; and one daily visit per week April 15 through Nov. 15 at three hours for $84.

— Set a hearing for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund application for project No. 4 for 6:45 p.m. April 21 and set a hearing for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund application for project No. 4 for 6:45 p.m. May 19. Stelmaszek indicated the city intends to proceed with this project if awarded a grant component consistent with Project No. 1, which was 75%, or Project No. 2, which was 50%. The tentative plan would include separation of the existing combined system; manhole repair and replacement and sanitary sewer main rehabilitation.

— Learned from Stelmaszek a pre-construction meeting will take place next week for a Heights/Ford Addition water and sewer replacement project. They hope to schedule a start date at that meeting.

— Agreed to send Stelmaszek to the spring U.P. managers conference in Escanaba on May 29-30.