County authorization to approve up to 24 chickens on any lot by ordinance

A bill for an act

relating to local government; authorizing a county to approve up to 24 chickens

on any lot by ordinance; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 394.25,

subdivision 3c.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 394.25, subdivision 3c, is amended to read:

Subd. 3c.

Feedlot zoning ordinances.

(a) A county proposing to adopt a new feedlot

ordinance or amend an existing feedlot ordinance must notify the Pollution Control Agency

and commissioner of agriculture at the beginning of the process, no later than the notice of

the first hearing proposing to adopt or amend an ordinance purporting to address feedlots.

(b) Prior to final approval of a feedlot ordinance, a county board may submit a copy of

the proposed ordinance to the Pollution Control Agency and to the commissioner of

agriculture and request review, comment, and recommendations on the environmental and

agricultural effects from specific provisions in the ordinance.

(c) The agencies' response to the county may include:

(1) any recommendations for improvements in the ordinance; and

(2) the legal, social, economic, or scientific justification for each recommendation under

clause (1).

(d) At the request of the county board, the county must prepare a report on the economic

effects from specific provisions in the ordinance. Economic analysis must state whether the

ordinance will affect the local economy and describe the kinds of businesses affected and

the projected impact the proposal will have on those businesses. To assist the county, the

commissioner of agriculture, in cooperation with the Department of Employment and

Economic Development, must develop a template for measuring local economic effects and

make it available to the county. The report must be submitted to the commissioners of

employment and economic development and agriculture along with the proposed ordinance.

(e) A local ordinance that contains a setback for new feedlots from existing residences

must also provide for a new residence setback from existing feedlots located in areas zoned

agricultural at the same distances and conditions specified in the setback for new feedlots,

unless the new residence is built to replace an existing residence. A county may grant a

variance from this requirement under section
394.27, subdivision 7
.

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(f) Notwithstanding setback requirements for animal feedlots under Minnesota Rules,

chapter 7020, and part 4725.4450, a local ordinance may approve up to 24 chickens on any

lot.

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