Chicken crusade in the news!!

[SeaChick]

See the TV news story here:
http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=63220

Sea Chick

 

[urbanhomesteader]

SeaChick thanks for sharing that link. Olivia did great!

I will be

for you. I hope that they will change the ordinance.

 

[radical53]

Congrats on your daughters successful interview!

I couldn't get the video to work though

 

[cookinmom]

Hey that was great! I like your webpage about it too. Amen on the chickens being cleaner/less smelly/less nuisance than dogs! My dog is a pain in the butt compared to my wonderful chickens!
BTW - what was that little cake made of that your chickens were eating in the picture? It was really cute!

 

[SeaChick]

Those weren't my chickens!! They're "Backyard Buddies"'s (from this forum; she graciously posted them for us to use in our battle...

)

 

[MayberrySaint]

Great story...you and your daughter came across as very well-spoken and good chicken advocates. Best of Luck on the ordinance change...

 

[SeaChick]

It's been interesting....and exhausting. I've spoken with so many citizens about this, and all of them are either neutral ("as long as there's no roosters crowing I don't care!") or TOTALLY supportive. YET.... several of the council members think that it's going to be a big public issue about property values. In reality, everyone I've spoken with thinks its a GOOD thing for neighborhoods. Our town has a lot of young folks who are in touch with the whole Green movement, and think it's a great idea. It's been sirprising, though, to go into really non-yuppie places like small general stores, or retail biz in the fanciest most affluent parts of town, and ask to put our flyer on their bulletin board, and have them say, "Oh, Yes! I think this is a GREAT idea."
I'm hopeful that now that the councilors have more infprmation about this, they'll see the light. 'Course, we won't have the final vote until sometime mod/late July...... and I am TIRED of being a politician!!!!
(It was super-fun to visit the chickens they showed in the news footage, though. They belong to a woman in town who has them "illegally". They were GORGEOUS!)

 

[MayberrySaint]

I'm not sure what work you have done to get the ordinance changed but let me throw in my 2 cents...
As a former politician (county-level), most commissions or boards are notoriously lazy. Instead of just trying to get the ordinance changed, you should offer up a NEW ordinance. This way the board of commissioners do not have to draw up one from scratch but rather just have to vote on your proposal. This may speed things up. You could put in a provision of no roosters; maximum number allowed (20 or so) and a minimum lot size or set-back from other residences.

 

[SeaChick]

Hi Mayberry Saint,
Yes, we provided a proposed amendment drawn up by a lawyer friend. It basically just amended the law to allow 6 hens. They've come back with ALL SORTS of restrictions, like a $50 application fee, need writen apporval from abutters, prpoerty owners w/in 150 feet will recieve written notice and can't complain or approval recinded, sign waiver sying you wont call animal control about predators, etc. Tough stuff. personally, I think that folks will be responsible neighbors and do the right thing if they decide to have chickens.... but I'm willing to accept the restrictions if it lets us have hens now.

 

[radical53]

Seachick-

I switched computers and it works now

. Your daughter is very well spoken and acts well above her age. You should be very proud of her!. With those stories to the media hopefully you will now have a large number of people on your side, and the proposal will pass