Dubuque Rescue Mission_Request to Keep Chickens at 300 Iowa StreetMasterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
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AI- America City
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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.
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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).