Hi everyone. I've posted a couple times but have been hanging back, waiting for an update by the city council on legalizing poultry within Hillsboro.
I am happy to report that I got an email tonight and the city staff are recommending to the council that certain types and quantities of poultry be allowed on lots larger than 7000 square feet. This proposal will be submitted to the city council on Tuesday, August 3rd at 6pm if you want to hear the proposal in person.
Specifically, the recommended proposal is for up to 3 hens on lots from 7000 to 10,000 square feet (initial proposal was greater than 6000 square feet), 6 hens from 10,000 to 1 acre, and 9 hens on lots larger than 1 acre. The proposal is a complaint driven system; no permits required. They increased the minimum enclosed outdoor run to 20 square feet PER BIRD, up from 5 square feet in the initial proposal. The pen must be behind the front plane of the dwelling, 10 feet from property lines, and must conform to city building codes. No breeding or slaughter will be allowed nor turkeys, geese, peafowl, or roosters.
The other options that were considered in the public hearings was status quo (NO livestock or poultry except in the WAY outskirts of town - very few properties) and an alternative permit driven system. The status quo was the first alternative and the permit system was the 2nd alternative.
This was a comprehensive overhaul of the code and also includes livestock, bees, and other animal language with the exception of dogs, cats, and rabbits (already covered in the code). If you are interested in looking at the entire packet, it can be found at:
http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Agendas/city_council/2010/Packet_080310.pdf
Our neighbor, Forest Grove, recently approved chickens. Our other neighbor, Beaverton, is set to do the same thing in August or September. In talking with locals, I found out that Beaverton cracked down on Ludeman's Outdoor store for selling chicks. Mark Ludeman told me personally that he got their ear and a group was able to persuade the city to consider revising their code to allow chickens. After threatening him with a $250/day fine in May, the city paid Mark a visit recently and told him to go ahead and sell chicks. It's pretty obvious Beaverton is going to pass their policy so it doesn't make sense that Hillsboro, a town with roots in the rural lifestyle, would not allow chickens.
I'm going to go to the Tuesday meeting to see the council's reaction to the proposal. I'm confident in the passage and will be putting down a deposit on the Double Coop DeVille at Bake's Binster tomorrow (http://www.bakesbinster.com/photos-of-composters-and-chicken-coops/). It meets the requirement for 60 square feet for 3 birds. It's spendy but hubby has said that he's not up to putting in the effort to build the coop and he's on board with my new passion. We went on the Tour de Coops on Saturday and he was smitten with the nicer coops. The other advantage to this coop is that it won't be an eyesore if we sell the house.
So I guess this post is kinda an introduction to me; birdless right now but the new regulations will allow me to start watching chicken TV.
Will anyone else be there Tuesday?
I am happy to report that I got an email tonight and the city staff are recommending to the council that certain types and quantities of poultry be allowed on lots larger than 7000 square feet. This proposal will be submitted to the city council on Tuesday, August 3rd at 6pm if you want to hear the proposal in person.
Specifically, the recommended proposal is for up to 3 hens on lots from 7000 to 10,000 square feet (initial proposal was greater than 6000 square feet), 6 hens from 10,000 to 1 acre, and 9 hens on lots larger than 1 acre. The proposal is a complaint driven system; no permits required. They increased the minimum enclosed outdoor run to 20 square feet PER BIRD, up from 5 square feet in the initial proposal. The pen must be behind the front plane of the dwelling, 10 feet from property lines, and must conform to city building codes. No breeding or slaughter will be allowed nor turkeys, geese, peafowl, or roosters.
The other options that were considered in the public hearings was status quo (NO livestock or poultry except in the WAY outskirts of town - very few properties) and an alternative permit driven system. The status quo was the first alternative and the permit system was the 2nd alternative.
This was a comprehensive overhaul of the code and also includes livestock, bees, and other animal language with the exception of dogs, cats, and rabbits (already covered in the code). If you are interested in looking at the entire packet, it can be found at:
http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Agendas/city_council/2010/Packet_080310.pdf
Our neighbor, Forest Grove, recently approved chickens. Our other neighbor, Beaverton, is set to do the same thing in August or September. In talking with locals, I found out that Beaverton cracked down on Ludeman's Outdoor store for selling chicks. Mark Ludeman told me personally that he got their ear and a group was able to persuade the city to consider revising their code to allow chickens. After threatening him with a $250/day fine in May, the city paid Mark a visit recently and told him to go ahead and sell chicks. It's pretty obvious Beaverton is going to pass their policy so it doesn't make sense that Hillsboro, a town with roots in the rural lifestyle, would not allow chickens.
I'm going to go to the Tuesday meeting to see the council's reaction to the proposal. I'm confident in the passage and will be putting down a deposit on the Double Coop DeVille at Bake's Binster tomorrow (http://www.bakesbinster.com/photos-of-composters-and-chicken-coops/). It meets the requirement for 60 square feet for 3 birds. It's spendy but hubby has said that he's not up to putting in the effort to build the coop and he's on board with my new passion. We went on the Tour de Coops on Saturday and he was smitten with the nicer coops. The other advantage to this coop is that it won't be an eyesore if we sell the house.
So I guess this post is kinda an introduction to me; birdless right now but the new regulations will allow me to start watching chicken TV.
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