The University Park City Council will be readdressing the issue of whether to allow residents to own backyard chickens as pets during its regular meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the City Hall Council Chamber.

Last October, UP resident Dominique Miller asked the Council to amend a city ordinance to allow people to own backyard chickens as pets after receiving a "complaint warning" from the UP animal control officer for keeping hens at her home.

Miller argued that hens are friendly, quiet and sanitary animals that are good pets, and children can even benefit from raising them. Another benefit of the birds is they lay eggs.

After hearing arguments in support of owning chickens, the Council postponed voting on whether to allow the animals as pets and asked the city's Urban Design & Development Advisory Committee to address the issue and make a recommendation.

The Committee has recommended that the city ordinance currently prohibiting residents from having backyard chickens should be amended, and chickens should be allowed to be owned as pets in the city under specific regulations, including:

• "Roosters are not allowed;"
• "Slaughtering is not allowed;"
• "Maximum of four (4) chickens is allowed;"
• "Only chickens are allowed — no other fowl."

Click here for a complete list of the committee's recommended regulations.

Now, it is up to the UP City Council to make a final decision about whether to allow the animals as backyard pets.

In addition to addressing the chicken issue, during the meeting the City Council will also hear a presentation about the status of a residential parking district created last year near SMU, and it will consider acting on an ordinance that would create new parking limits on streets in the Snider Plaza shopping district.

Click here to access the complete UP City Council meeting agenda for Tuesday, January 17.