Nov. 20--More than a week ago, Enid city commissioners faced a room full of unhappy people, upset over a proposed livestock ordinance that set strict guidelines for keeping livestock in city limits.
The biggest ob-jection by those present was the elimination of the grandfather clause, which would allow people who already have animals on their property to keep them.
The ordinance passed, and code development officer Chris Bauer said people have responded well to the ordinance.
"We're getting lots of calls. We've had some permits and registrations filled out and we're inspecting them," Bauer said.
A registration permit is easy to get. Regis-tration is for property that does not comply with the ordinance and gives property owners until Aug. 31, 2010, to find another place for their animals.
In order to keep livestock, a person must have a lot more than an acre in size.
Animals included in the ordinance are large animals, such as goats, pigs, horses and mules and even chickens -- animals that could be commonly described as livestock. The ordinance does not pertain to animals considered household pets.
Bauer said the people he has talked to are generally understanding.
Dean Grassino spoke to the commission when the ordinance was being considered and said he lives in an area zoned as a residential estate. He and his wife have lived on the property for 21 years and have 2.8 acres. They are allowed to keep their animals, but must permit them. People with one to three acres may keep livestock, but must obtain a city permit. Those with three acres or more, or those who are zoned agriculture, are exempt from the ordinance.
Grassino has applied for a permit and it is in the processing phase, he said.
"I understand the rationale behind the ordinance; however, if you look at our geographical location, for all intents and purposes, even though we're in the city limits, we are rural," he said.
The Rev. Stephen Sam-ples, rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, lives at 1619 W. Maine and said he checked out the area before moving there. Samples had chickens when he lived in Colorado and thought he could keep them in Enid. He has a lot and a half, keeps the chickens in a coop, but free-ranges them in the yard at times.
He said he will register them, but believes he has done everything he is supposed to do, and the rules are changing. Samples called the ordinance a property rights violation issue and said his property rights have been taken away.
"I would favor some type of licensing, like if a dog is a nuisance they send someone out. Regulation would be fine," he said.
Samples said he has received a number of comments on his Facebook page supporting his stance, but admitted it is an unscientific poll.
"Those chickens are more like pets to us," he said. "We do eat the eggs, but we've never eaten one of the chickens."
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