Post Falls allows ducks on single-family lots after code change

Plastic ducks covered the council chamber Tuesday night as Post Falls leaders unanimously cleared the way for ducks on single-family detached lots, turning a quirky neighborhood question into a real change in the city code.

The vote means duck owners who meet the ordinance requirements now have a clearer path to keeping the birds at home without running afoul of zoning or nuisance rules. Mayor Randy Westlund used humor to frame the decision, and Councilor Marc Lucca joked that he wanted to make sure the city had its ducks in a row, but the action itself was a substantive revision to how Post Falls regulates domestic animals.

The change came after councilors asked staff in December 2025 to revisit duck rules. Under the old code, chickens were allowed on detached single-family lots with up to 10 hens, but ducks were classified as livestock. Community Development Director Bob Seale said that classification meant ducks previously required about an acre of land under city rules.

Resident Sarah Ericson asked council to treat ducks more like chickens. She told officials ducks need about 10 to 15 square feet per bird outdoors, are quiet and can help with pest control by eating slugs, mosquitoes and other bugs. City staff compared rules in other cities before bringing back the revised ordinance.

Under the new standard, single-family detached lots may keep up to 12 total fowl, with no more than six ducks. The birds still cannot create a nuisance or unsanitary conditions, and the property must have enough room for required setbacks. Associate Planner Justin Sauder said ducks need more room than chickens when there is no run because ducks do not roost.

The result is a small but practical shift for backyard animal keeping in Post Falls, where city leaders are balancing personal freedom, neighborhood compatibility and the limits of suburban property lines. The same meeting also brought another major item: councilors adopted the All-Hazard Mitigation Plan, which had last been updated and adopted in 2020 and was approved by FEMA in February. For Post Falls, the night showed how local government can move from flood and disaster planning to duck rules in the same session, all in the same chamber.