One amendment approved by Leander City Council updated the distance chickens are required to be kept from a residence.[/caption]

After months of public comments, the Leander City Council approved a handful of amendments to local animal control ordinances, including one that mandated chickens inside of a coop be housed at least 50 feet from any residence, excluding the home of the animals’ owners.

The change corrected a contradiction in the previous ordinance that mandated chickens stay 50 feet from a residence but a coop remain 200 feet from a residence.

Leander Police Chief Greg Minton said the city has been in the process of changing its animal control ordinances for the past few months. The changes that went before council during a meeting July 21 included clarifications to regulations and definitions in the animal ordinances, as well as amending the section on licensing and permitting fees.

Minton told the council that the ordinances were last updated in 2003, and said the amendments would make the regulations up to date with current legislation and fix contradictions.

Council member Shanan Shepard said the revisions to the chicken ordinance may impact only a small portion of the city, since many neighborhoods have homeowners association rules that also regulate animals and would trump the city ordinances.

Council members approved the amendments unanimously.

“I’m glad the ‘eggstravaganza’ is over,” Council member Ron Abruzzese joked.