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Dubuque Rescue Mission_Request to Keep Chickens at 300 Iowa StreetMasterpiece on the Mississippi Dubuque band AI- America City IIIii! 2007 • 2012 • 2013 TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Dubuque Rescue Mission's Request to Keep Chickens on City Property at 300 Iowa Street DATE: August 1, 2013 Dubuque Rescue Mission Executive Director Rick Mihm requested approval to keep chickens in an enclosure on City -owned property at 300 Iowa Street. This site is the current location of a community garden and the future location of the Dubuque Rescue Mission's "Mission Gardens" greenhouse facility. This property is at the gateway to downtown and is being reserved by the City for a future development opportunity or for future parking. City staff will await City Council direction. Michael C. Van Milligen MCVM:jh cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager Masterpiece on the Mississippi Dubuque Ettril All- America City 1 iI 9 2012 TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager a - SUBJECT: Dubuque Rescue Mission's Request to Keep Chickens on City Property at 300 Iowa Street DATk: August 1, 2013 BACKGROUND Rick Mihm, Executive Director of the Dubuque Rescue Mission, has asked Planning Services staff to approve the keeping of chickens in an enclosure on the City owned property at 300 Iowa Street. This site is the current location of a community garden and the future location of the Dubuque Rescue Mission's "Mission Gardens" greenhouse facility. Initially, Mr. Mihm simply asked approval to keep chickens on the property and did not explain how the greenhouse facility would be used. This memo summarizes staff's interpretation regarding the keeping of chickens at this location, DISCUSSION The City property located at 300 Iowa Street is zoned C -4 Downtown Commercial zoning district. Staff's initial interpretation was that chickens are considered livestock and are not permitted in this district. However, on May 30, 2013, Mr. Mihm provided a brief email that included a description of how the greenhouse is to be operated and a proposed schedule of activities (attached) qualifying the Rescue Mission's intent for the facility. He noted that the keeping and care of chickens would be an integral part of an educational program for the facility. He also noted that the Mission is partnering with the Multicultural Family Center, the Dubuque County ISU Extension, the Dubuque Food Coop, the City's Sustainability Coordinator, and the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency Education Coordinator to create educational programs using the greenhouse facility as a classroom for teaching various aspects of sustainable agriculture. The schedule of activities included church youth group work day, composting, extending the season, mulching and integrating poultry into gardening workshops, Catholic Worker's tours (therapeutic benefits of gardening for the homeless), pumpkin carving for kids and health and wellness activity including harvesting and preserving. Page 2 After receiving this information staff's interpretation is that the greenhouse and gardens serve as an educational facility and is permitted in the C -4 District as a school of private instruction. As such, it is also staffs interpretation that the keeping of chickens would be permitted as an accessory to the educational use as it is clearly not a typical agricultural use. As an example, if one of the local universities had a veterinary school that kept rabbits in an enclosure behind the school for experimentation purposes, this would not be considered an agricultural use, but accessory to the educational use. However, as the proposed greenhouse will be located on City owned property the City reserves the right to approve or disapprove any proposed use. The City Manager has denied the request to keep chickens at this location. CONCLUSION Therefore, based on Planning staff's interpretation of the Dubuque Rescue Mission's greenhouse facility and its operational qualities, the keeping of chickens would be permitted as an accessory use to the educational component of the greenhouse facility. However, the proposed use is subject to the City's review and approval. This memo is provided for your information. Dubuque Rescue Mission 398 Main Street / P.O. Box 147 Dubuque, Iowa 52004 -0147 Phone: (563) 583 -1394 Fax: (563) 583 -6674 Guy Hemenway Assistant Planner Planning Services Department 50 West 13th Street Dubuque, Iowa 52001 Dear Guy, 30 May 2013 The Dubuque Rescue Mission is requesting a conditional use permit for poultry at our garden space behind the 4th Street Parking Facility. Since this is zoned C -4, we will need you to advocate on our behalf before the Zoning Commission, demonstrating that poultry are an integral part of our educational program. I believe our gardens and greenhouse program will fit as a School of Private Instruction as we partner with Abeni El -Amin, Executive Director of the Multicultural Family Center, Jason Neises, Program Manager of Dubuque County ISU Extension, Brittany Bethel, Regional Foods Coordinator, Dubuque County ISU Extension, Cori Burbach, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Dubuque, and Bev Wagner, DMASWA Education Coordinator, City of Dubuque. The Mission Gardens will serve as an outdoor classroom for our residents. In addition, we will be partnering with the Dubuque Community Schools and their Green Vision Education program; the Multicultural Family Center and their Seeds of Unity program; and the Dubuque County ISU Extension Master Gardeners program. Field trips will be coordinated so students can experience seed starting, transplanting, care and maintenance of plants, composting, poultry care, aqua - culture and greenhouse operation. This is an exciting opportunity for the Dubuque Rescue Mission and the City of Dubuque. Our already established gardens, 24X50 ft. greenhouse coming in mid -June, and hopefully the inclusion of poultry will provide a well rounded educational program for both youth and adults. Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to hearing from you and the Zoning Commission regarding this request. Sincerely, Richard J. Mihm, M.Div. Executive Director Dubuque Rescue M ssion 2013 -2014 Growing Season Dubuque Rescue Mission Gardens Patricia Kemner (Staff) August 2, 2013 — First Presbyterian Youth Group garden work day (10:00 a.m. to Noon). August 5 -9, 2013 — Jehovah's Witnesses volunteer garden days. August 15, 2013 — Composting Workshop: 2:30 -4:00 p.m. (Master Gardeners) August 16, 2013 — First Presbyterian Youth Group garden work day (10:00 a.m. to Noon). August 30, 2013 — First Presbyterian Youth Group garden work day (10:00 a.m. to Noon). September 2 -6, 2013 — Greenhouse assembly (open to the public — featuring the men of the Dubuque Rescue Mission) September 6, 2013 — Work day for Christian Youth Music ministers (2:00 -4:00 p.m.) September 13 -17, 2013 — Catholic Worker tours (therapeutic benefits of gardening for the homeless). September 21, 2013 — Farm to Table Event: 1:00 -7:00 p.m. September 23 -27, 2013 — Workshop and Training on Aquaculture (FarmTek instructors) September 30, 2013 — Workshop (Integrating poultry in your garden bed rotations) — Open to public. October 1 -11, 2013 — Health and Wellness: Harvesting and preservation of garden produce (men of the Rescue Mission). October 18, 2013 — pumpkin harvesting and carving (children of the Rescue Mission ministries). October 30, 2013 — youth garden tour and pumpkin harvest for Halloween. October 31, 2013 — workshop (extending the growing season) Open to the public. November 4, 2013 — workshop (properly mulching gardens for winter).