Rooster crows whenever it wants, city to put together new ordinance

Belleville City Manager Jason Smith said he will put together a new ordinance to prohibit barnyard animals in the city and present it to the council for consideration at an upcoming meeting.
At its Feb. 20 meeting, he told the city council of a rooster that crows whenever it wants to on Henry St.
Neighbors have complained to the city about the rooster that crows not only at dawn and dusk, but in the middle of the night and middle of the day, plus assorted nighttime hours. It’s on a small lot at 100 Henry St.
Police Chief Kris Faull said residents of nearby Tuscan Manor apartments have also have complained about the rooster.
Nearby neighbors have also noted there are other animals in the yard, including chickens, rabbits, dogs, and even, reportedly, a goat, and piles of animal waste. Another resident said there were piles of cardboard boxes that harbor rodents.
City Manager Smith said they checked the city ordinances and found the ordinances only pertained to dogs.
“We should have limitations on roosters,” Mayor Ken Voigt said. “It’s ridiculous the hour they get up in the morning.”
He said he used to have a next-door neighbor that had chickens and the neighbors brought eggs over to them.
“I’ll put together something,” Smith said.