Vernon, CT*UPDATE* Voted down :( but will try again!!!!

[CopperCT]

Hi Connecticut:

Is anyone on here from Vernon? If so there is an important Planning meeting coming up on May 19th to hopefully approve some new rules on keeping chickens. The proposed rule will allow up to 12 hens...no roosters with setbacks from property lines of 10 feet, 25 from any street, and 15 from any residence. The proposed rules can be read at the Town Planners office and they are very reasonable. The current regulations are silent on the keeping of poultry and the Town interprets them as they are not allowed. I reviewed the file on the proposed rules at the Town Hall yesterday and there are only letters against the rule change. There are no letters of support.

Admittedly it could be argued in an appeal that the code is also silent about the keeping of dogs and cats and therefore by allowing them but not poultry the Town's application of the rules is capricious. But it's a risk....it's much better in my opinion to have a clear rule on the books. We need to get some support for it though by writing in letters of support and attending the hearing on the 19th at the Town Hall at 6:30 pm. The support letters need to be sent to Leonard Tundermann, Town Planner at Town Hall, 14 Park Place, Vernon, CT 06066.... please get them there by at least the 14th so they can be included in the Board's information packets. I am getting together at least two petitions at this point and talking with everyone I can find in Vernon to write in letters of support but the more the better. And we need residents to speak up at the hearing on the 19th. If you are a resident of Vernon interested in keeping poultry, we need to act now. Please write in to the Town Planner and come to the hearing on the 19th. Feel free to Pm me for more information. Thank you.

*****UPDATE****** THE HEARING HAS BEEN CHANGED TO JUNE 2ND AT 7 PM AT TOWN HALL*****

 

[seamripper13]

Hello,

I am new to this forum. I am a Vernon resident. I am very glad that I found your post regarding the meeting on chickens. I have a daughter in the Vo-Ag program at Rockville High. She has decided that she wants to raise chickens for her 3 year project. When my husband and I went to the town hall, we were basically told to ask our neighbors if they were ok with us having chickens, and that if the town doesn't know about the chickens, it's all good. I have been worrying about people seeing the chickens from the road, and what will my daughter do if she has to get rid of her chickens. My husband and I are planning to write letters and attend the meeting. We are getting our chicks on the 24th of this month.

 

[CopperCT]

Quote:
First of all

It's great to see another Vernon resident wanting to keep chickens. Thank you for writing in your support. It will need to get there a few days before the 19th so it can be included in the Planning board's packets. The Town is reluctant to interfere but if they get a complaint they definitely will tell you to get rid of them as they have done with me because one of my neighbors complained even though my other neighbors love them. My coop is well over 60 feet away from her and is cleaned daily inside and weekly outside. There is no smell and little noise (my dog is louder) but she stilll wants them gone. The new rules propose putting up a privacy fence where they can be seen from the street or by neighbors. For me that means about three panels of fence (not a big deal) and then she won't have to see them and hopefully she will no longer complain if we can get these rules to pass. I've tried to win her over but to no avail so I'm very motivated to do what I can to get this rule in place. I hope to meet you in person at the meeting on the 19th. Best wishes on your future chicken project.

Liz

 

[seamripper13]

Hi Liz,

I mailed my letter today. I also spoke with one of the teachers in the Vo-Ag program at the high school. I was told that he was sent information to review and comment on. I was told that there is a lot of opposition to this bill. I asked him if there was any way that he could suggest to the students in the Ag program who live in Vernon to have their parents write in. He thought is was a good idea and he will see what he can do. I am half afraid to ask my neighbors to write a letter, because what if they write in a negative letter. Have you heard any more about it? Do you think there will be a lot of people at the meeting to oppose it? I hate the idea of a privacy fence because watching the chickens walk around and hearing them clucking is part of the fun of having them.
Amy

 

[CopperCT]

Quote:
Good morning Amy:

Thank you for sending the letter. I'm dropping mine off this morning along with some articles and excerpts about the advantages to keeping chickens and mailed another from a friend in Vernon yesterday. I will hopefully have more by the end of the week. I have one of my neighborbors trying to get signatures around town but so far not much luck. He says some people he talked to are reluctant to sign because they live near someone with either loud roosters or who let their chickens get into other people's gardens and rip them up. I gave him a copy of the proposed rule which says no roosters and they can't run free to show them so hopefully they'll see having a rule is better than no rules at all. I know there is opposition but I do not know how much and I do not know if they will appear at the meeting but all we can do is try our hardest.

I have to go out of town on business for this week but will check at the Town Planners office early next week and see if there is more support for it in the file. I hope the Vo-Ag teachers can generate some support....that would be very helpful. I also have my sister in law trying to get signatures and letters from her county 4H program especially if they are from Vernon although I understand the Vernon program is very small.

The privacy fence is only to block any street views of the birds or from immediate neighbors not from yourselves. I'm sure each set up is different but my neighbors' back yard faces mine and their house is close to their border so that their back windows overlook the run. So I just need to block that side. I don't plan to block the whole run all the way around but just three panels about 10 feet away from the run on their side so I can see them on the other side but they cannot.

Thanks again for helping get some support for this and I'll fill you in on anything else I find out. Let me know if you find out anything.

Liz

 

[seamripper13]

Hi Liz,

I don't understand why we would have to block the view from the street. I like seeing chickens in yards. I can't believe that there would be a town full of residents who find the sight of chickens offensive. My next door neighbor had chickens when he was a child and is all for it. I actually have 5 neighbors that touch my property line. We asked and got approval from three of them. I don't know why we didn't ask the other two. We never really see them.

 

[seamripper13]

I went to the town planners office today and spoke with Len. I was able to look at the plan and discussed it with him. So far there are really only three letters from people who are against chickens and four that are for the chickens. The biggest thing is that the date of the hearing has been changed to June 2nd.
Amy

 

[CopperCT]

Quote:
I completely agree with you..... I love seeing our birds running around and pecking in the dirt but I understand that not everyone feels the same way. I'm just telling you what is in the new rules and for me it will make sense to do given that my neighbor does not approve. It doesn't mean that you need to as well but just be prepared that if the rules pass that the Town might...and I emphasize might...require you to do that. If you have your neighbors' blessings, you are in a good spot. I do not have that in all cases so for me it makes sense. I have 9 neighbors (corner lot on steep hill with neighbors also above me on the hill)....probably more since one house is a multi-family. Two of them are heartily for the chickens but 1 is definitely not. The rest do not seem to care especially as four of them probably do not even know they are there as they are too far away and can't see or hear the coop at all.

 

[CopperCT]

Quote:
Hi Amy:

Yes I heard about the date change right before I went away on business. The new date is June 2nd at 7pm at the Town Hall. What was your take on his opinion of this rule? I assume since he wrote it he is for it but did you get that impression from him? I'm really curious how the planning office feels about this. Everytime I go in, he is not there so I haven't had a chance to speak with him in person. Let me know your impressions.

The 4 support letters are good news...that's 4 more than when I went in last week. I have more letters coming in and now that there is more time I will try to get even more so hopefully it will be more than 4 to 3. I left some notes earlier this week with other chicken owners I know of in town even though I don't know them personnally...maybe they will write in too or come to the hearing. That would help alot.

Liz

 

[CopperCT]

This is really important folks>>>>please we need some more suppport. Are there any other Vernon/Rockville chicken owners out there?