Cottage Grove WI ordinances?

[surpriseby5]

Hi. I am new to this board and to the idea of hopefully owning chickens in the near future. We just bought a home (close at the end of the month) in the Village of Cottage Grove WI and I was curious if anyone is familiar with their ordinances on owning chickens. Any information would be most helpful! Thank you!

 

[Mac in Wisco]

You can get to their ordinances through the village website.

[Adopted 7-2-1984 as Secs. 10.05 and 10.25 of the 1984 Code] § 116-3
Keeping of animals restricted.

No person shall keep within the Village any animal except a domesticated pet unless within a licensed animal hospital or kennel, except on premises on which animals were customarily kept on January 1, 1965

Generally, you will find that very few villages in Wisconsin allow chickens. Especially in the more rural areas, people believe that chickens only belong on the farm and not in town.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

By the way, welcome to BYC. There are a number of us here from Wisconsin. I live just south of La Crosse.

 

[surpriseby5]

So that's pretty much a no to having chickens huh? I have to say I am pretty bummed... our family was looking forward to the prospect of owning a few chickens. I was hoping that since nearby Madison allowed them that Cottage Grove would have similar ordinances.

So how difficult is it to try and change local ordinances?

 

[flocksalot]

Hi from Arlington/Poynette area! And

I would start in the index by going through the local laws and ordinances and how to change them. We are lucky enough to have a farm so we don't have the problem, but I know that in town they are limited to hens only. That would just break my 7 year olds heart as he has a very soft spot for his roos. We currently have 5 that we know off, but who knows how many are in the pullet house or brooders. I have a friend that lives in Cottage Grove. I'll have to ask her what the sentiment is there as she has lived there for many years. I know there were some people down the road from her that had chickens, but they may have been ag property. I Deforest there is a small place that has a horse surrounded by single family homes. It's kinda funny seeing a horse in town. I would have did it myself if I could have. Instead we sold our home and bought a farm.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
It depends upon how you want to interpret that. Many such ordinances are vague in their intentions. A chicken can be a "domesticated pet". I would see it that way and could easily make an argument to that effect, but there will indubitably be some in your village that will try to argue that it only applies to common pets such as cats and dogs.

Do a little more research. There may be other village ordinances that further define the matter. There may also be restrictions written into the village zoning regulations which would be separate from the the general code of ordinances. If you find nothing else, you could always give it a shot. There are many here that keep chickens "under the radar". They don't necessarily go to great lengths to hide them, but it is generally done in a low key manner in the backyard and such matters are generally not made the topic of the day at the local grocery store checkout.

If somebody does complain and the village comes knocking on your door, tell them that you researched the ordinances and zoning regulations and found nothing barring you from keeping a chicken as a "domesticated pet", which is allowed under their ordinances.