Neighborhood "Open Coop" before Public Hearing: Seeing Info Flier

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Bump. So How's it going?

 

[JessicainOhio]

We had our "public forum" with the City Council and it went fantastically! There were over 50 people in council chambers (standing room only) and every last one of 'em was pro-chicken. We started ironing out some details of the proposed ordinance. The only marginally-contentious issue is property line set backs, but I'm confident we'll get that resolved in the upcoming "Readings" of the ordinance (one a month for the next three months followed by a vote).
I've been surprised by how low-key and, dare I say, fun this has been so far!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

My city actually removed setbacks from our ordinance allowing hens in all single family residential neighborhoods as they realized that other nuisance ordinances already covered the possible nuisance issues.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

My rooster is crowing for you right now.

If only he'd do that nonstop, we could call that a nuisance. But the nuisance issue has never been raised, except for the day I verbally defended my son from a ranter at our public school, when I told the man, "Stop saying my child is doing something illegal. He isn't. You have misiterpreted the law, and you are misinforming people about my child and my property, which is none of your business. The next time you utter your wrong opinion of the law regarding MY yard, I will call police on you, because you are slandering my child." Now the only nuisance is the cold air between us as we pick up our kids from school.

So I guess the real nuisance from chickens is the negative gossip some people will generate. Then, the scratchy social vibes which may arise if you must defend yourself publicly with all the smooth finesse of a bull in a china shop like I did. People don't like things that are different. Some people will gossip about it, and they will be rude. Thankfully those people are rare.

The great equalizer to their negativity is the happiness people generate when they visit, "ooh" and "aahhh" about the garden full of pretty little chickens!

 

[nonseq]

Jessica - I am so excited for you!!!