Chicken License Requirements
    (a) Applications shall be made to the city clerk. The cost of the license is $10. 
        The license year commences on January 1 and ends on the following December 31.
    (b) All licenses must pass a mandatory inspection by the animal control authority. 
        The animal control authority may refuse to grant or may revoke a license: 
      (1) If the chickens become a nuisance, as evidenced by a third admitted or judicially-
          determined violation of the Duluth City Code within 12 months of the 
          first of the three admitted or judicially-determined violations; 
      (2) To a person convicted of cruelty to animals under a code, ordinance or statute from
          this state, or a code, ordinance or statute from another state.
    
    Chicken License Regulations
    
    Each person holding a license to keep chickens within the city of Duluth shall 
    comply with the following:
    
    (a) The principle use of the property where the chickens are to be kept is a single 
        family dwelling as defined in Section 50-1.18 of Duluth City Code;
    (b) No person shall keep more than five chickens; 
    (c) No person shall keep a rooster; 
    (d) No person shall keep any chickens inside the single family dwelling; 
    (e) No person shall slaughter any chickens within the city of Duluth; 
    (f) Chickens shall be provided a secure and well ventilated roofed structure 
        in compliance with the current zoning and building codes; 
    (g) The roofed structure shall be fully enclosed, wind proof, have one square 
        foot of window to 15 square feet of floor space and have a heat source to 
        maintain an adequate indoor temperature during extreme cold conditions; 
    (h) The floors and walls of the roofed structure shall be kept in a clean, 
        sanitary and healthy condition with all dropping and body excretions collected 
        on a daily basis and placed in a fire-proof covered container until applied as 
        fertilizer, composted or transported off the premises;
    (i) Chickens shall be kept in the roofed structure or any attached fenced yard 
        enclosure at all times;
    (j) The fence around the yard enclosure shall be securely constructed with a mesh 
        type material and shall have protective overhead netting to keep the chickens 
        separated from other animals;
    (k) The fenced yard enclosure shall be well drained so there is no accumulation of moisture; 
    (l) A floor area or combination of the floor and fenced yard area for keeping chickens 
        shall not be less than ten square feet of floor space per chicken; 
    (m) No roofed structure or fenced yard enclosure shall be located closer than 25 
        feet to any residential dwelling on the adjacent lots.
    
    OBTAINING A LICENSE TO KEEP CHICKENS
    
    (a) Any person who keeps chickens in the city of Duluth other than areas zoned S 
        suburban districts under Section 50-51 of this Code, shall obtain an annual license 
        prior to acquiring the chickens. The license year commences on January 1 and ends on 
        the following December 31. Applications shall be made to the city clerk. 
        
        The city clerk shall collect the license fee.
        
    (b) Fees to be charged for the issuance of a license to keep chickens shall be set in 
        accordance with Section 31-6(a) of this Code.
    (c) All licenses shall be conditioned upon passing a mandatory inspection by the animal 
        control authority.
    (d) The animal control authority may refuse to grant or may revoke a license if the chickens 
        become a nuisance, as evidenced by a third admitted or judicially-determined violation of 
        the Duluth City Code within 12 months of the first of the three admitted or 
        judicially-determined violations.
    (e) The animal control authority may refuse to grant or may revoke a license to a person 
        convicted of cruelty to animals under a code, ordinance or statute from this state, 
        or a code, ordinance or statute from another state.
    (f) All reports of such inspections and reviews shall be in writing and maintained by the animal 
        control authority.
    
    KEEPING OF CHICKENS
    
    (a) Each person holding a license to keep chickens within the city of Duluth shall 
        comply with the following:
      (1) The principle use of the property where the chickens are to be kept is a single 
          family dwelling as defined in Section 50-1.18 of Duluth City Code as “any building or 
          portion thereof which is designed for or used for residential purposes”;
      (2) No person shall keep more than five chickens; 
      (3) No person shall keep a rooster; 
      (4) No person shall keep any chickens inside the single family dwelling; 
      (5) No person shall slaughter any chickens within the city of Duluth; 
      (6) Chickens shall be provided a secure and well ventilated roofed structure in
          compliance with the current zoning and building codes. Building permits are 
          not required for accessory buildings 120 square feet or less, but setback 
          requirements do apply: 
            Setback from rear property line -- 5 feet minimum.
            Setback from side property line - 2-1/2 feet minimum (if located in rear yard). 
            Setbacks from front, interior side and corner side yards are site specific.
    
          Building permits for structures over 120 square feet can be obtained in the 
          Building Safety Office, 210 City Hall.
          
          An electrical permit is required for branch wiring to an accessory 
          structure and can be obtained in the Building Safety Office, 210 City Hall;
      (7) The roofed structure shall be fully enclosed, wind proof, have one square 
          foot of window to 15 square feet of floor space and have a heat source to maintain 
          an adequate indoor temperature during extreme cold conditions;
      (8) The floors and walls of the roofed structure shall be kept in a clean, sanitary 
          and healthy condition with all dropping and body excretions collected on a daily 
          basis and placed in a fire-proof covered container until applied as fertilizer, 
          composted or transported off the premises;
      (9) Chickens shall be kept in the roofed structure or any attached fenced yard 
          enclosure at all times;
     (10) The fence around the yard enclosure shall be securely constructed with a 
          mesh type material and shall have protective overhead netting to keep the 
          chickens separated from other animals;
     (11) The fenced yard enclosure shall be well drained so there is no accumulation of moisture;
     (12) A floor area or combination of the floor and fenced yard area for keeping chickens shall 
          not be less than ten square feet of floor space per chicken;
     (13) No roofed structure or fenced yard enclosure shall be located closer than 25 feet 
          to any residential dwelling on the adjacent lots.