Need letters and emails sent in support of Chickens in Wake Forest!!!

[emandmikey]

Hi everyone! Here's a little clip from the Raleigh Paper which ran a story about our plight here in Wake Forest. I think Bill Summers and Mayor Vivian Jones need to recieve some letters from folks who are in support of backyard chickens. Please visit www.wakeforestnc.gov for the address. Here are their email addresses: [email protected] (Bill Summers) and [email protected] (Vivian Jones)
Thanks! Emily


Across the nation, town and city officials are fielding requests such as Cole's.

Critics worry that the birds are noisy, smelly and unsanitary.

Bill Summers, a Wake Forest planner, said he's not sure the town's rules are strict enough, because residential lots in the town are much closer than when the law was originally drafted.

Summers said he received an anonymous letter from one of Cole's neighbors strongly opposing any plans for chickens nearby. The letter writer was concerned about the noise and feces, especially where waste would go after a storm, he said.

"People are really polarized on this issue," Summers said.

Proponents point out that well-kept chickens are quieter and cleaner than most pet dogs.

 

[A Carolina Chick]

http://www.newsobserver.com/974/story/1169121.html

Here is the whole article.
I am behind you all of the way Em!

 

[emandmikey]

Ok everyone - here's an update! The Wake Weekly has talked with the Mayor and Town Manager, and done another article today! Apparently the Mayor seems intrigued by the idea, and has made some comments which lead me to believe she's open to it. BUT - Since it is an ordianance change, they are required to have a public hearing on the subject, and I have no idea when that will be. The issue is on the agenda for the commissioners meeting on Tuesday, August 19, at 7pm, and I had been told I would have 5 minutes to do a presentation. I have been working on it all week... and practicing with my 'speaking voice'. I still haven't seen the agenda for the meeting - so I called Town Hall today to inquire about it. I spoke with the Town Clerk, who informed me that the issue is item 70? or maybe 17? Yikes! And I will not be speaking on the issue after all... the commissioners will discuss it though, and decide about having a public hearing. The Town Clerk did recomend that I be there (duh) in case they want to ask me any questions. I've already (last night - before learning all of this) sent out an email asking for local supporters to come to the meeting to show their support... I hope they won't be mad if I'm not speaking! ARGGGG!

 

[emandmikey]

Just to get the word out - our meeting last night was a success! The Board of Commissioners were unanimously in favor of approving the amendments I presented to them, and decided to put it to a public hearing, and vote on the issue formally at the next meeting (in September)! I am so excited about this - but hope that there won't be anyone who shows up in opposition to the amendments at that time - no one did at this meeting! Anyway, thanks for everyone's support here, it's really great to have a forum of people to come to for knowledge and support!

 

[emandmikey]

An update on Wake Forest:

I attended the Commissioner's Work Session last night, and left the meeting a little disappointed.

At their last meeting, two weeks ago, the Commissioners asked some staffers to work on drafting an amended ordinance to be presented at this work session for review and consideration for a public hearing. Apparently the duty was delegated to Bill Summers, one of the town planners, who is in charge of issuing the livestock permits currently. He very simply stated, after snickering a little bit about how little he knew of the issue, that he suggested that the simplest change would be to amend the current ordinance to omit hens numbering fewer than five (5). In other words, you would not need a permit from the town to keep 5 or less hens in the town limits. If you wanted more than 5, you would need to submit to the current permitting process for livestock.

Now... this is a step forward... keeping hens would be allowed without a permit - that's great! But in my opinion the number 5 is too low! I had suggested that they allow 20 because of the diminished egg production once the animal gets to a certain age.... this guy wasn't taking that into consideration at all. I wonder if he's read the information I put together for the Commissioners... maybe I should send it to him...

Anyway - that's basically what transpired about chickens at the meeting tonight. I stayed to the end, and spoke with one of the Commissioners, Chris Kaeberlein, who also would like to see the number a little bit higher. He suggested 10. Really, that would be better, but larger families would still be out of luck if it were capped at that number. I am emailing all of the Commissioners tonight about the issue... and I hope they'll support a higher number when the time to vote comes around.

The Wake Weekly will be doing a story about the meeting later this week (Thursday) and I wouldn't be surprised to see something about it in the Wake Forest Gazette too. I just hope all of our local supporters will come out on September 16th to show that they want this ordinance changed with a reasonable amount of hens allowed.