Annoying barking, howling, squawking to be prohibited

FINDLAY — A new animal noise rule, combined with "proper/common sense enforcement" of existing laws, should give Findlay the tools it needs to address animal-related complaints, according to City Law Director Robert Feighner Jr. Findlay City Council is expected to vote Wednesday on a new animal noise rule that would apply to all animals kept within city limits, not just dogs. Council will meet in regular session at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. Council's regular meetings are routinely held on the first and third Tuesday of each month, but next week's meeting has been rescheduled due to Election Day. The animal noise legislation is set for a third reading and vote on Wednesday. The new ordinance would apply to all animals, regardless of species, and prohibits "continuous barking, howling or other audible sounds" that create "excessive or offensive noise" disturbing people of "ordinary sensibilities." Violations would be a minor misdemeanor. No changes have been recommended for the city's ordinances, which prohibit keeping animals in a way that causes noxious odors or unsanitary conditions, and require owners to clean up animal waste off their property and to carry a container for its removal, also considered minor misdemeanors. "The city should be able to control animal noise, odor and waste," Feighner said in a letter to council, dated Oct. 2. The new animal noise rule is separate from the city's attempts to establish rules for keeping farm animals in the city. A public meeting about proposed legislation affecting farm animals will be held on Nov. 10 at the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. Matt Cordonnier, director of the Hancock Regional Planning Commission, will review the proposed ordinance, and Feighner will also be on hand to answer questions. According to the current proposal, small farm animals such as chickens, ducks, and rabbits (under 50 pounds) would be permitted on any parcel in the city without restrictions on lot size or number, provided sanitation and nuisance standards are met. Medium farm animals like goats and sheep (50–500 lbs.) would require a minimum lot size of one acre and must be kept in a fenced rear yard with shelters meeting zoning setbacks. Large farm animals, including horses, cows, and pigs (over 500 lbs.) would be allowed only on parcels of at least three acres, with similar fencing and shelter requirements. The ordinance also includes provisions for sanitation, on-site slaughtering (limited to small animals and not visible from neighboring properties), and exemptions for youth programs such as 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA). Existing animal owners may be grandfathered in if they register their animals within 90 days of the ordinance being enacted and maintain current conditions without expansion. The new rules are being drafted by Findlay City Council's Planning and Zoning Committee, which recommended the public meeting. Committee members include Dennis Hellmann, R-2, Dan DeArment, R-4, Jim Niemeyer, R-6, and Grant Russel, R-at-large, with Brian Bauman, R-5, chairman. In April 2023, a proposal to set standards and restrictions in the zoning code for keeping farm animals within city limits was pulled from consideration by the committee due to vocal public opposition. The city currently has no restrictions on the keeping of farm animals. The new rules could become official by the end of the year.