Detroit Community Meetings to Discuss Livestock in the City

The city is asking residents how they feel about allowing residents to raise certain farm animals in neighborhoods.

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The Detroit City Planning Commission is hosting a community Listen and Learn Session meeting to discuss a proposed urban livestock ordinance. The measure would allow residents to raise certain farm animals such as chickens, goats, and rabbits in the city.

City Council Member James Tate says the idea to allow farm animals in neighborhoods came about a long while ago.

“The dirty little secret is there are some people in the city of Detroit who already have these animals and they’ve been coexisting in the neighborhood without any issue, and for the most part, these are neighborhoods that have high vacancies,” Tate says. 

Tate says there are many other cities around the country that allow urban livestock.  

The meeting will be held November at West Side Greater Grace Temple. 

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