HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – In 1978, an ordinance was put in place preventing the ownership of chickens in residential areas within city limits. The ordinance was revisited by the Hopkinsville City Council in 1997 and again in 2002 but attempts to change it have since hit dead ends, according to Councilmember Jaimie Leinberger.
“We are doing residents a disservice by not acting on their requests,” Leinberger told Christian County Now.
Public interest for changing the 46-year-old ordinance is popping up again with Leinberger bringing up the topic at the March 4 City Council meeting. She said constituents were raising awareness to the topic and thought she should bring it up.
“We started the ordinance process last year and it just kind of died on the vine, and I said I would bring it up and see where we stood,” Leinberger told the council. Her attempt in 2023 to change the ordinance went through several discussions before it dissipated.
The city’s stance and next steps
“The city is committed to ensuring our city ordinances meet the current needs of our community, and the zoning ordinance is presently under review,” Amanda Brunt with the Mayor’s office told Christian County Now. She went on to explain there are several concerns that go along with allowing residential chicken ownership including noise, odor, pests, and waste management.
“One of the city’s top priorities is to improve the cleanliness and sanitation of our community,” said Brunt, “and as we reevaluate current ordinances, we will continue to support regulations that facilitate these standards.”
In regard to next steps, Leinberger said she is currently working with Tom Britton to try and make progress with changing the ordinance this time around. “We are there to listen to the voters, we are there to be mindful of what residents would like and what their desire is to live in the city,” said Leinberger.
She said other Kentucky cities, like Bowling Green, have simple ordinances and regulations in place to allow residential ownership of chickens that would be easy to model.
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