KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire
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The Blue Springs City Council discussed Monday night the potential of allowing backyard hens and ducks.
It is a topic that has been brought to the council multiple times over the years, but more recently in the last two.
Councilmember Susan Culpepper made a motion to discuss directing city staff to draft up another ordinance that would allow residents to have backyard hens and ducks. This time, the council voted 5-2 to move the process forward.
The drafted ordinance will mirror cities like Lee’s Summit and Pleasant Hill. It will also be similar to the ordinance the council voted on in November 2024, which failed 3-4.
While no official ordinance was ready to be presented, the council discussed a few topics to include and revise this round.
Nick Brummel and Culpepper brought forth the agenda item. They recommended lowering the coop height to a maximum of eight feet, including a permitting process like Pleasant Hill recently passed, and setting regulations regarding what qualifies as feed, among other topics.
The last failed ordinance, which city staff will use as a template again, allowed no more than six hens or ducks in a backyard coop.
Jen Cline is part of the pro-bird movement, Citizens of Blue Springs for Backyard Hens. While she is a duck lover herself, Cline and others have worked for almost two years to get something passed. She said she feels optimistic this time.
“A lot of conversations with the council, honestly, a lot of, and the community, you know, a lot of education in the community," Cline said. "A lot of people saying, 'Oh, yeah, okay. I guess I see your point.' I think it's a good sign that things are going in the direction that we wanted to go.”
She went on to thank the council members who have supported her movement, including Councilmembers Kent Edmondson and Katie Tholen.
Cline and others claim they want backyard birds allowed to have access to their own eggs due to rising grocery costs, to be sustainable, and to have them as pets.
Cline's ducks currently live outside city limits and are registered as Emotional Support Animals.
As for the cons, concerns raised throughout this process include worries about smells from coops, noise from hens and ducks, and the potential to attract predators and rodents to backyards.
During public comment, resident Ken Horrell requested another alternative to the council making a decision.
“Let's put this on the ballot. There's a plethora of reasons to support, and there's a plethora of reasons to not support," Horrell said. "Let's let the citizens … I believe Councilmember Culpepper said it the best … I think we're all tired of dealing with this thing in one way or another — it needs to come to a conclusion. So, my suggestion would be let's put it on the ballot."
Another factor is whether homeowners associations would be required to adopt city law or be able to create their own ban in HOA covenants. A state law passed last year that would stop HOAs from banning backyard hens, but that law is currently held up in a lawsuit that won’t be heard until May.
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