The City of Laurens will hold a community workshop Tuesday, Sept. 1, to gather resident input on proposed updates to the city’s animal and livestock regulations.

The workshop begins at 3 p.m. in the Police Training Room at 250 West Laurens Street. The city is promoting the session under the banner “Let’s Talk,” describing it as an opportunity for residents to weigh in before the ordinance moves forward.

At issue is Ordinance 26-07-02, which would amend Chapter 10 of the city’s code of ordinances. The proposed changes address regulations governing animals, livestock, poultry, backyard hens, animal enclosures and animal-related nuisances. Laurens City Council unanimously approved first reading of the ordinance in July.

The proposal has drawn considerable interest across the community, particularly from residents who keep backyard hens or small numbers of livestock inside the city limits.

Mayor Nathan Senn addressed some of those questions at the July council meeting, confirming that city residents are permitted to keep up to six chickens. Senn said the update is aimed less at whether residents may keep chickens and more at sanitary conditions and whether animals are creating a nuisance for neighbors. He noted that the previous ordinance prohibited only swine and offered little detail on how animals must be kept or enclosed, a gap the amended language is intended to close.

Senn, who has kept chickens himself and grew up on a farm outside of town, told council he supports residents keeping backyard poultry.

Tuesday’s workshop is designed as a conversation rather than a formal public hearing. Residents who keep animals, those who have raised concerns about neighboring properties, and anyone with questions about how the proposed rules would apply are encouraged to attend.

City officials have made the invitation a plain one, asking residents to join them and share their views.