Amending Animal Ordinance

The City Council of Mountain Iron hereby ordains:

SECTION 1 AMENDMENT. Chapter 56 of the Mountain Iron City Code is hereby amended by adding the following:

56.26 Animal Units. The City determines impact by using Animal Units and the following table shows the animal unit for each species.

Animal Unit

One dairy cow 1.4 animal unit

One slaughter steer or heifer 1.0 animal unit

One horse 1.0 animal unit

One swine .4 animal unit

One sheep, goat, dog .2 animal unit

One duck, turkey, cat .02 animal unit

One chicken .01 animal unit

56.27 Maximum Animal Units Allowed.

Subd. 1 Dogs and cats may be kept as pets as long as they do not equal or exceed the threshold of one animal unit on parcels of under two acres.

Subd. 2 On parcels of 2 to 4.5 acres one animal unit is allowed.

Subd. 3 On parcels of 4.51 to 9 acres five animal units are allowed.

Subd. 4 For parcels larger than 9 acres, 9 animal units plus one unit per acre beyond 9 acres, to a maximum of 30 per quarter/quarter section or government lot. If an individual owns more than one quarter/quarter or government lot that may be considered in the general area, that property may be used in calculating the total animal units allowed at the rate of 20 animal units per quarter/quarter section or government lot, even if all the animals are kept on a single parcel.

56.28 Restrictions.

Subd. 1 If the landowner is operating any type of business involving animals, a conditional use permit is required.

Subd. 2 No animals may be penned within 200 feet of a neighboring dwelling unit or 150 feet from any well, except up to five domesticated dogs or cats shall be permitted. Penned is defined as the confined feeding, breeding, raising or holding of animals. This provision does not apply if the animals are pastured in an area of ten acres or more.

Subd. 3 The keeping of amounts greater than 1,000 poultry or small animals or more than 250 swine shall require a conditional use permit.

Subd. 4 Where any parcel contains five or more units of swine or poultry, enclosed quarters or fencing shall be provided at no less than twice the required setback for the zone district unless the provision in 2 above results in a greater setback.

Subd. 5 All required state and federal permits shall be obtained for the keeping of animals.

Subd. 6 Animal waste must be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner, and in no case shall runoff from waste discharge directly into a lake, river, unsealed well, or wetland. The construction of animal waste system sis encouraged and may be required by the Planning Commission or the Planning Director.

SECTION 2 INCONSISTENT ORDINANCES. All Ordinances or portions thereof inconsistent with this Ordinance shall be repealed and replaced with the provisions of this Ordinance.

SECTION 3 EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall be effective according to State Statute.

DULY ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL THIS 1ST DAY OF APRIL, 2002.