LYONS, Kan. — The cost to raise chickens in Lyons will be going down next week, and regulations modified. The Lyons City Council Monday approved an ordinance revising city codes dealing with permitting chickens in the city limits.
The most notable change to the ordinance is a reduction in the annual license fee from $100 to $20, which would be more in line with what other cities charge, and it will be valid for one year from date of issue. It also eliminated notification requirements that were in the original code.
As with the current ordinance, up to six hens can be kept on a property for personal, non-commercial use with the R-1 and R-2 residential zoning districts. It also sets out rules for coops and runs which must be attached to the coop. It also prohibits the keeping of roosters in the city limits.
The Lyons City Council Monday approved a one-lease agreement with Harvest Hub to provide for a community garden. This involves three parcels in the Sunset Second Addition owned by the city which due to flood plain issues can’t be built on. The annual lease payment is one dollar per year, and would automatically renew unless either party On a related matter, the Council agreed to waive peddler’s permit fees for a Harvest Hub-sponsored Farmers Market for producers who actually produce product rather than reselling produce of others.
The Council officially accepted the retirement resignation of City Clerk Gayla Horsch, effective April 1. Later in the meeting the Council went into an executive session to discuss the clerk’s position, which also included City Administrator Troy Houtman and City Attorney Patrick Hoffman.
Also connected to Horsch’s retirement, the Council approved a resolution regarding persons authorized to conduct banking business on behalf of the city. This for now adds Assistant City Administrator Tanner Faust to the authorized signers, which vary depending on the specific account and number of signatures required which varies from one to three. It also approved a revised credit card resolution, also updating staff information
The Council approved a one-year lease of a 100’x100′ tract at Lyons-Rice County Airport to Maxwell Aviation for aerial spraying operations. The lease calls for an annual rental of $2,000 per year, payable in advance, and requires all fuel for the operation to be either purchased from the Airport’s Fixed Base Operator or a 20 cent per gallon surcharge be paid to the FBO. The lease is subject to approval by the Rice County Commission.
Related to the airport, the Council approved payment of its share of expenses for the month of January, with staff reviewing changes in the invoicing process used by Rice County. The Commission also approved payment of invoices for work done on the hangar and apron improvement project, much of which involves the forwarding of FAA reimbursements for the project. The payment, subject to the FAA grant reimbursement being in hand, will include the city’s 25 percent share of the local matching share on the project, total payment amounting to $458,391.43.
