Hartland planning commission reviews draft backyard-chickens ordinance

Planning Director Langer outlined a draft ordinance on backyard chickens during the Hartland Township Planning Commission work session on March 12, 2026.

The draft, prepared by the Ordinance Review Committee, would specify which zoning districts could permit backyard poultry and would include a prohibition on roosters, rules for disposal of deceased birds and a prohibition on allowing chickens to run loose. The presentation was described as an outline of the draft ordinance; the minutes record that discussion took place but show no formal vote on the ordinance at the work session.

Commissioners discussed the ordinance in a work session setting; no members of the public spoke during the meeting’s public comment periods. Because the item was presented as a draft, the commission did not record an adoption, amendment or formal direction in the minutes. Any next procedural steps (such as a public hearing or a formal introduction on a future agenda) are not specified in the work session minutes.