A citizen’s concern over a neighbor’s backyard chickens led City Commissioners in Salina to consider health issues and to revisit regulations that were already in place.

City Manager Mike Schrage spent time unpacking the journey this week on the KSAL Morning News Extra.

The biggest takeaway – not much was changed.

Residents may still keep 15-chickens in their backyard and let them roam freely in the yard as long as there is a fence to keep them in the yard. A hen house must also be at least 50-feet away from a neighbor’s home, or any other structure that could be occupied in any way.

The complaint was lodged last year and Schrage says city staff looked at peer communities’ regulations and drafted some possible amendments to the current code. Animal control staff and fire department members used technology to measure ammonia levels at the property in question and it proved to be below dangerous levels.

One code amendment made this week changed language that said: “you could not keep chickens to the annoyance of a neighbor,” Schrage said. Now the code will refer to “a person of reasonable sensibilities.” Language he says that is a legal standard and commonly placed into code in peer communities.

Commissioners also moved to clarify that a chicken coop needed to be placed at least 50-feet away from a neighbor’s home, or any other structure that could be occupied in any way. In the event of a corner lot – chickens can be kept in a side yard that is behind the residence.

You can listen to a portion of that interview here.