H-5. Discussion of animal stables MEMORANDUM
CITY OF TO: Planning Commission
CHANHASSEN FROM: Bob Generous, Senior Planner
7700 Market Boulevard DATE: August 16, 2016
PO Box 147
Chanhassen,MN 55317
SUBJ: Potential Amendments to City Code - Stables
Administration BACKGROUND
Phone:952.227.1100
Fax:952.2271110
The Planning Commission has review responsibility for Chapters 18 and 20. A
Building Inspections public hearing is required to make changes in these chapters. We are requesting that
Phone:952.227.1180 the Planning Commission review the proposed revision to Chapter 20 related to
Fax:952.227.1190 stables in the Single-Family Residential District and recommend an ordinance
amendment incorporating the changes. In addition, we are proposing changes to
Engineering other chapters of the City Code related to the stable ordinance and are presenting
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Fax:952.227.1170 them to the Planning Commission for your review and comments.
Finance DISCUSSION
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Fax:952.227.1110 Chapter 1, General Provisions
Park Recreation Issue: Some definitions need to be added to better clarify the requirements and
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Fax:952.2271110 meaning of the ordinance relative to stables and stable permitting.
Recreation Center Staff is recommending that we add definitions to help clarify the stable regulations in
2310 Coulter Boulevard chapter 5.
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Fax:952.227.1404 Free choice means the horse has a free and independent opportunity to access a
Planning& structure without human intervention. A horse may voluntarily enter and exit
Natural Resources said structure. (5)
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Fax:952.227.1110 Mini-horse means a horse that is 34 inches or less in height at maturity. (5)
Public Works Pasture means a fenced area of real property for the grazing or keeping of
7901 Park Place horses, cattle, goats or sheep. A pasture may be grassed which means that it
Phone:952.227.1300 provides sufficient and suitable vegetation for the feeding of a horse during the
Fax:952.227.1310
growing season or a "dry lot" which does not provide sufficient and suitable
Senior Center vegetation for the feeding of a horse. In a "dry lot" the horse must be fed to
Phone:952.227.1125 meet its minimum daily nutritional needs. (5)
Fax:952.227.1110
Website
www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us
Chanhassen is a Community for Life-Providing for Today and Planning for Tomorrow
Chapter 5, Animals and Fowl, Article III, Horses
Issue: As currently written, the standards for allowing horses on a property count the entire
property in meeting the requirements of the minimum standards for horses. However, it is only
that area of the property that is not built on with a house or other structures that would be eligible
for use as pasture or dry lot area that should be counted toward the minimum requirements.
Staff has been investigating clarifications to the ordinance that should be made to facilitate this.
Staff has been in contact the University of Minnesota Equine Extension Services to development
best management practices for stables and pasture land. Staff is recommending the following
changes to the ordinance:
Section 5-86
In this article, "horse" includes horses, colts, ponies, mini-horses,mules, burros, alpacas or
llamas.
Clarifies that mini-horses and alpacas are included in animals allowed as part of a stable permit.
Section 5-89 (a) (3):
Horses must be provided a minimum of free choice protection Of of a constructed shelter from
direct rays of the sun when temperatures exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit, from wind and from
freezing precipitation for all horses. Natural-Or Constructed shelters must be a minimum of 240
square feet for the first horse and 60 square feet for each additional horse of sufficient size
. . _ • -- . . . - . -. Four mini-horses are equivalent to one horse. Each
additional mini-horse in excess of four horses would require a minimum of 15 square feet
of additional shelter area. Constructed shelters must be structurally sound, free of injurious
matter,maintained in good repair, and ventilated.
Clarifies the minimum size standard for acceptable shelters for horses.
Section 5-104
a. A stable permit shall be issued by the city clerk upon approval by the stable inspector if the
following conditions are met:
(1) Minimum pasture acreage for twe horses shall be 1Y2 acres, and for three horses shall be two
Md additional one third der shall b -- . - .. • . . . - determined
as follows:
(a) Grassed pasture two (2) acres per horse. Mini-horses may reduce the required
grassed pasture to one-quarter (1/4) acre per mini-horse. A grassed pasture
provides sufficient and suitable vegetation for the feeding of a horse during the
growing season.
Planning Commission
Issue Paper - Potential Amendments to City Code— Stables
August 16, 2016
Page 3 of 4
(b) Dry lot 400 square feet of pasture per horse. Mini-horses may be reduced to 200
square feet of dry lot per horse. A "dry lot" does not provide sufficient and suitable
vegetation for the feeding of a horse.
(2) No stable permit shall be issued for a lot of less than one acre.
(3) Such area shall be enclosed by a sturdy wood, metal, or electrical fence which will keep the
animal or animals confined within.
(4) A shelter or stabling facility which will keep the animal or animals comfortable and protected
from the elements and which shelter or stabling facility shall be no closer than 100 feet from
any structure other than the applicant's, which is used for residential purposes.
(5) The shelter or stabling facility shall be so located so as not to create a public nuisance.
(6) The shelter or stabling facility shall be clean and sanitary such that it will not be a harborage
for rodents, flies and insects.
(7) Keeping, storing, stabling, or maintenance of horses shall not directly contribute to the
pollution of any public body of water.
(8) Accumulations of manure shall be located at least 100 feet from any well.
(9) All accumulations of manure shall be removed at such periods as will ensure that no leaching
or objectionable odors exist, and the premises shall not be allowed to become unsightly.
(10) The shelter structure shall be a minimum of 200 feet from any wetland.
(11) Should a variance be requested from these standards, the owner must successfully
complete an equine management program through the University of Minnesota
Extension program or other accredited program and implement such standards.
Clarifies the minimum pasture standards for horses. Also provides standards for the deviation
from the standards.
Chapter 20, Article XII, "RSF" Single-Family Residential District
Issue: City code permits stables in the RSF district as an interim use. This type of use is a hold-
over from the time when the city was more agrarian and began rezoning land from R1A to RSF
district. At that time, there were more equine uses throughout the community. At one time,
there was even a commercial stable located in the vicinity of Bretton Way and Teton Lane in
north central Chanhassen. Over time, this area has been subdivided in to single-family homes.
Planning Commission
Issue Paper- Potential Amendments to City Code— Stables
August 16, 2016
Page 4 of 4
In March 2016,the City approved an interim use for a property on Ridge Road. At that time, it
became apparent that this type of use was becoming less compatible with the increasing
residential nature of these areas.
City code would still permit stables in the Rural Residential and Agricultural Estate districts.
Staff is recommending that Section 20-616 be amended as follows:
Section 20-616- Interim uses.
The following are interim uses in the "RSF" District:
(1) Reserved Private stables subject to provisions of h pter 5, article III.
(2) Commercial stables with a..........=int size,of five acres.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff is seeking feedback and direction from the Planning Commission to drafting an ordinance
addressing the issues listed above.
Attachments
List of existing Stable Permits
g:\plan\city code\issue paper\stables\pc memo 8-16-16.docx