IRON MOUNTAIN — An ordinance change to accommodate two cows outside an Iron Mountain ice cream shop is in the works, although the city manager says its location makes “establishing a good policy difficult.”

Ice Cream Barn owner Bill Neuens brought the cows to stalls at the site when he opened the business in June but was ordered to remove them. The animals were later allowed temporarily over the Labor Day weekend.

The harboring of livestock is prohibited in the city, but the council in a 5-2 vote decided June 6 to explore a special use permit. At that time, several citizens spoke in favor of the cows, which children had been able to pet and feed at the farm-themed shop at 606 N. Stephenson Ave.

“In amending this type of ordinance, you would typically want to include items such as minimum distance from residential, minimum lot size, distance from major thoroughfares, minimum enclosure size and others, all of which this location makes it difficult to include these minimums for what would be considered good policy,” City Manager Jordan Stanchina said in a recent memo.

The council, however, will have the final say and City Attorney Jerry Pirkola will draft a proposal for review.

On Monday, the council discussed having a permit that is subject to annual approval. Council member Kyle Blomquist said he would also want the city’s planning commission involved.