American Fork on Tuesday passed an ordinance allowing the keeping of chickens and bees in residential areas, a move long awaited by some in the community.

“It’s time that we have this discussion tonight, and I appreciate [the] staff for bringing the ordinance to the point where we can discuss it and vote on it,” City Council Member Heidi Rodeback said.

The council’s discussion focused squarely on the administration fees, which would be levied when a person applies for a permit and if that person is cited with a violation. In the proposed ordinance, a violator would be charged a $75 fee, mostly covering the enforcement action by the police department. But there would be no cost to apply for a permit, which Councilman Clark Taylor said is not enough since you have to pay a fee to even own a dog.

“I’m for an additional fee to make sure they set it up right,” Mr. Taylor said. “We need to look out for the neighbors — for everyone rather than the minority who wants to have chickens.”

Councilman Brad Frost said he was also comfortable with a small, upfront fee to make sure the installation of the coop is in order and adhere with the requirements of the ordinance.

“I think it will protect the entire city in a better way,” he said.

Mrs. Rodeback felt a $75 licensing fee was cost-prohibitive. But she agreed that a $15 one-time fee, coupled with a $75 fee if there is violation, would be a good compromise.

Councilman Rob Shelton agreed, saying that too heavy of a setup fee would penalize those who are willing to do it honestly from the get-go.

The final decision by the council was a $15 licensing fee, which includes requiring the applicant to acknowledge he or she had complied with the ordinance. Any infraction would levy an additional $75. The vote was unanimous. 

According to the ordinance, the only types of residences eligible to have chickens are single-family dwellings. If the lot is 10,000 square feet, six chickens are allowed; for a 9,000 square foot lot, five are permitted; for 8,000 square feet, the number is four; and for 7,000 square feet, the individual may keep up to three chickens.

No roosters are allowed on any size lot.