Story updated at 11:15 a.m. Nov. 8
Chickens and bees are fine for backyards, voters in Commerce City said on their Nov. 7 ballots. But ducks apparently wouldn’t fly.
Voters considered three additions to Commerce City’s pet rules at the 2023 polls that would allow residents to keep the livestock animals as pets.
The measure allowing backyard chickens passed 4,088 votes to 3,231 in unofficial results on Nov. 8.
Another allowing residents to keep bees passed 4,585 votes to 2,664.
But a measure that would have allowed residents to keep ducks failed to get voter approval, with 3,780 voting no and 3,482 voting yes.
The chickens and bees will not be allowed in all city zones and each will have restrictions in place.
Legal ad exemption passes
Voters overwhelmingly approved a measure exempting the city from having to post legal notices in newspapers. It allows the city to post notices, ordinances and meeting notices on its website.
At least 35 Colorado cities and towns have asked voters to let them opt out since 2008. Voters have agreed to that change in 31 of those ballot measures.
Commerce City’s question simply asks voters to change the city charter to allow legal notice of ordinances, documents and other legal publications on the city’s website in an effort to modernize the language.
Commerce City is currently required to publish legal notices in Colorado Community Media publication, the Commerce City Sentinel Express.
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