Village of Plover considers chicken ordinance
By Taylor J. Hale
Staff Writer
PLOVER – Village leaders are considering creating an ordinance that would allow Plover residents to keep chickens on their property.
Board members chose to move forward with reviewing the proposed changes. The amendments will hit the plan commission in April.
Village President Tom Davies is concerned that the changes could cause issues in the municipality. “The enforcement is a big thing,” Davies said. “It’s going to put us right in the middle. We will have to send somebody out to check out the coops and handle everything. It could require another full position just to take care of it all.”
The village’s building inspection department would likely manage chicken coops and housings if the ordinance passes, according to Davies.
The village voted on a similar ordinance roughly six years ago, but village board leaders declined the proposed changes that would allow residents to keep up to six chickens.
Plover leaders noted that if things move forward, there would be annual fees associated with keeping the animals. There are current ordinances in place that restrict residents from keeping chickens and livestock. Village leaders are still shaping what the changes would look like, including regulations and the number of chickens a residence could keep.
Stevens Point and other Portage County cities currently allow residents to keep chickens.
Contact Taylor J. Hale at [email protected] with Portage County news and information.