The Kalona City Council approved a way for residents to raise chickens in town at this week’s meeting. City staff put the urban chicken application together, a request made by the city council at their last meeting after citizens expressed interest in raising the animal within city limits.

Kalona City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh says for an application to be accepted, an individual needs signatures from every property owner within 200 feet, a sketch of where the chicken coop would be located in the yard and design plans for the coop.

The applications are available at city hall and are free to submit. The final decision is made by the city council. Some restrictions have been put in place, including a limit of four chickens per household and a ban on roosters.