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TO: Mayor John D. Laesch
FROM: Michael Saville, 6th Ward Alderman
DATE: September 29, 2026
SUBJECT:
Requesting approval of revisions to Chapter 9: Animals to regulate the keeping of carrier, racing, hobby, and show pigeons and prohibit all other pigeons within the City of Aurora.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this request is to update Chapter 9 to establish clear, enforceable regulations governing the ownership, housing, and feeding of pigeons within the City of Aurora. These revisions create a legal framework that aligns with the Illinois Carrier, Racing, Hobby, and Show Pigeon Act while addressing health, sanitation, and nuisance concerns within the city.
These updates benefit the City by improving property maintenance standards, reducing pest-attracting behaviors such as ground feeding, clarifying allowable pigeon-keeping practices, and establishing an annual registration system for responsible owners. This ensures better compliance monitoring, improving neighborhood livability and public health overall.
BACKGROUND:
The revisions originate from a need to regulate pigeon-keeping practices in Aurora more effectively and to address a history of complaints regarding sanitation, property maintenance, and uncontrolled feeding.
The proposed code changes directly reference and align with the Carrier, Racing, Hobby, and Show Pigeon Act (510 ILCS 45/1 et seq.), ensuring that only those pigeon types defined in the Act may be legally kept or harbored within the city. All other pigeons are prohibited.
The draft language outlines requirements for annual registration, loft maintenance, feeding restrictions, compliance with building and property maintenance codes, and setback requirements for loft placement. These updates modernize regulatory standards and clarify enforcement authority.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed revisions will benefit the community by reducing unsanitary conditions and nuisance issues associated with unregulated pigeon feeding and unmanaged lofts. By requiring that all lofts be kept clean, orderly, and compliant with building and property-maintenance codes, the City can better ensure neighborhood health and safety. The fifty-foot setback requirement for pigeon lofts protects adjacent properties, while the annual registration requirement strengthens accountability and enables Animal Control to monitory compliance effectively. These changes impose minimal financial impact on the City, as enforcement can be managed within existing Animal Control operations, with only minor administrative responsibilities added for tracking registrations.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The revised ordinance will impact the public by requiring pigeon owners to register annually and maintain lofts and premises according to updated sanitation and structural standards. The prohibition on all ground feeding and the requirement that only secured, elevated feeders be used will help reduce conditions that attract pests and create litter..
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I request approval of the proposed ordinance revisions to Chapter 9: Animals, regulating the keeping of carrier, racing, hobby, and show pigeons in accordance with the Illinois Carrier, Racing, Hobby, and Show Pigeons Act, and prohibiting all other pigeons within the City of Aurora.
cc: Rules, Administration, and Procedure Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
ORDINANCE NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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An Ordinance amending Chapter 9 of the Code of Ordinances, Sections 9.1 and 9.6, Regulating the Keeping of Carrier, Racing, Hobby, and Show Pigeons.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora seeks to ensure safe, sanitary, and properly regulated environments for animals kept within the city limits and to mitigate nuisance, sanitation, and property maintenance concerns related to pigeon keeping; and
WHEREAS, the Carrier, Racing, Hobby, and Show Pigeon Act, 510 ILCS 45/1 et seq., defines the categories of permissible pigeons that may be kept in Illinois, and the City of Aurora intends to align local ordinance language with the Act by allowing only carrier, racing, hobby, and show pigeons as defined therein and prohibiting all other pigeons from being kept or harbored within the city;
WHEREAS, the City further finds it necessary to establish requirements for annual registration with the Animal Control Manager, regulate loft maintenance and placement, prohibit ground feeding, require use of elevated secured feeders, ensure compliance with property maintenance and building codes, and impose penalties for violations;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the City's home rule authority, these revisions to Chapter 9 are necessary to protect public health, prevent pest attraction, ensure responsible ownership practices, and preserve neighborhood conditions; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows:
SECTION ONE: The City of Aurora Code of Ordinances, Chapter 9, is hereby amended as set forth in Exhibit A, regulating the keeping of carrier, racing, hobby, and show pigeons.
SECTION TWO: SEVERABILITY. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Ordinance shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the invalidity or unenforceability of such section, paragraph or provision shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION THREE: REPEAL OF PRIOR ORDINANCES. All prior Resolutions and Ordinances in conflict or inconsistent herewith are hereby expressly repealed only to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.
SECTION FOUR: EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect immediately from and after its passage and approval.