The Knoxville City Council unanimously approved a measure to allow goat grazing on private property.

Currently, a city ordinance doesn’t allow livestock, like goats, on private property to curb brush and evasive plants like kudzu. However, it has been allowed on city property. We’ve seen goats clear up public parks, like Fort Dickerson and Ijams Nature Center.

Now private property owners can apply for a permit to get goats, which can be beneficial to the environment.

“Goats are very environmentally responsible, people think they’re cute, people like them and they’re effective in what they,” said David Brace, Knoxville’s deputy mayor. “They love to eat privet, kudzu, poison ivy.”

The ordinance change must be approved on a second reading, scheduled for June 19.