We won!

[redriver]

Yup. We live in a small town. Chickens are front page news again. The article basically recaps what has happened so far, and the fact that the city council will discuss it again tonight, and possibly direct staff to come up with a new ordinance to vote yes or no on. If they don't get a majority to agree to getting staff to come up with something, then the whole thing dies. If they do agree, then they will have to vote on whether or not to accept what they come up with at a future meeting.

http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/features/x488548332/Chickens-back-on-the-table

 

[redriver]

City council meeting was held, and it again made front page news. Pretty good recap. I like some of the quotes they used.

http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/topstories/x1413012947/Hen-ordinance-to-be-drafted

 

[MaryHammond]

But did Yreka city council decide anything? I live down the road in Weed. I believe chickens are disallowed in Weed, although lots of people have chickens, and right "downtown" as well, but usually it is just a flock of hens, no roosters.

 

[redriver]

Quote:
Chickens are allowed in Weed. The only place in the county that doesn't allow them in Siskiyou County is Yreka... And as of last night that STILL hasn't changed. The council finally voted, but the one councilman who has been on the fence was a no-show. Found out today that he actually had a legitimate reason, but man, what bad timing.

Here is the link to the news article about it.
http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/topstories/x663891930/Yreka-City-Council-Stalemate-on-hen-ordinance

RedRiver

 

[redriver]

People in town are not happy about the vote. One of our local business owners has started painting pink hens on her deli to protest, and also to "save a breast" for breast cancer awareness month.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yreka-City-Chickens/198870443469527

 

[redriver]

Well, the city council tied 2-2 when they did their vote as to whether or not to have hens. Then, the issue stalled out for about a month as people were so exasperated and frustrated with the tie. In December, it was brought back on the agenda, this time to decide if it should be put to rest, or if it should go to the voters in the spring to FINALLY get a decision. Well, the city council actually had a majority opinion to send it to the voters.

Here is the local news article.
http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/topstories/x435678854/Hen-measure-set-for-June-ballot

R.

 

[mkeawsh]

So, I live in the county seat of a rural area that does not currently allow chickens. Pretty much everywhere else in the county they are legal. I am working with a few friends to try to get our city to change the code to allow hens. Talked to the gals at city hall about it and they said to send a letter to the council with the proposed changes, rationale, etc. This is the first draft that we created from copying other cities' codes (Redding, CA and Davis, CA - primarily). Haven't seen many other cities that require permitting/licensing, but we thought to throw that in as an income incentive for the city, however minimal it might be. Plus, animal control would have a funding source to take care of any potential chicken complaints.

Let me know what you think, please.


Proposed changes to City of Yreka Municipal Code

Section 8.04 – General Provisions changed to allow for keeping of chickens.

Proposed text change (changes noted in bold type), Section 8.04.20:
(a) It is unlawful for any person to keep, stable, corral or otherwise maintain within the city limits any horse, mule, fowl, ***, sheep, goat, swine, cattle or ruminant, or any number of such animals, except as specifically permitted under provisions of this chapter; provided, however, the provisions of this section shall not be construed to prevent the working of any such animals or their use or display in a parade.

Proposed additional subsection.

Keeping of Chickens; Permits Required
It is unlawful for any person to keep, harbor or maintain any male chicken (rooster) over four months old within the city.

It is unlawful for any person to keep or maintain within the city, or permit to be kept or maintained upon land belonging to such person, any female chickens (hens) except as follows:

All hens more than four months old kept, harbored or maintained by their owners in the city shall be registered and permitted as herein provided.

A total of not more than six hens may be kept and maintained in a clean and sanitary pen or structure, no part of which shall be located less than thirty feet from any residence, other than a residence occupied by the person owning or in possession of such animals; and, provided further, that the keeping of such animals shall not create a health or nuisance problem.

Chickens shall be registered with and permits shall be issued by the city clerk or other designated agency, on payment of a permit fee established by resolution of the city council. Said fees shall be for each calendar year or a fraction thereof.

I'm not sure where you live but maybe this gentleman can help you. I'm sure he could give you some advice - maybe send you some.

You need to contact Bill Ruppert of Kirkwood, MO. He is known as "St. Louis County's Chicken Man". There was an article about him in the South County Times - November 11 - 17, 2011 - Titled "Grantwood Village Tackles Hometown Hen Houses". He has been involved in city fights over chickens for years. He said that most of the squawking over chickens calms down, once the residents find out that they can be raised safely, with virtually no waste and odor issues. Here is a quote from Ruppert, "I am talking to Richmond Heights about their chicken issue now. Ballwin is dealing with chickens. I have testified on this issue so much that I have a PowerPoint presentation that I bring to city meetings on requests."
http://www.nnpstl.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/home.showpage/pageID/7/index.htm

The article is as follows -

Grantwood Village trustees expect to approve an ordinance on keeping chickens in their town on Nov. 15. The city action comes after weeks of clucking about regulations, and a few ruffled feathers over the issue.

"This whole chicken thing is new to me," said Cathy Forand, chairman of the Grantwood Village Board of Trustees. "I just didn't know that people were wanting to keep chickens in their backyard to have fresh eggs every day.

"It came to our attention when a chicken coop arrived at one of our resident's house in August, and it got a neighbor upset," said Forand. "That's when we found out we had two ordinances on the books that contradicted each other, and we needed to do something."

Forand said after much study, a proposed ordinance is on the village website at grantwoodvillage.info and it seems to have quieted concerns. The website shows where village officials drew from other cities' ordinances in putting together the regulations on hometown hen houses.

For example, rules on not allowing chickens to run at large were drawn from Sunset Hills and Kirkwood. Wording that forbids raising chickens for commercial use was drawn from Ladue. The number of chickens on any property cannot exceed four, and roosters are expressly prohibited.

Residents who run afoul of the detailed restrictions will lose their permit for keeping the feathery fowls. Any resident who loses their permit for a public hazard violation will not be allowed to apply for another permit for a period of two years.

Bill Ruppert of Kirkwood, who is known as St. Louis County's "Chicken Man," has been involved in city food fights over chickens for years. He said most of the squawking over chickens calms down, once residents find out that they can be raised safely, with virtually no waste and odor issues.

Ruppert has 26 chickens of his own in an elaborate coop at his home in south Kirkwood near St. Louis Community College at Meramec. He keeps his household and his friends in fresh eggs, which he describes as more flavorful than anything you will find at area supermarkets.

chickens4

shadow

Chickens like these belonging to Bill Ruppert have become part of a growing sustainability movement in urban settings. photo by Ursula Ruhl (click for larger version)
"Chickens are catching on and you see cities dealing with the issue all over the area," said Ruppert. "I am talking to Richmond Heights about their chicken issue now. Ballwin is dealing with chickens. I have testified on this issue so much that I have a PowerPoint presentation that I bring to city meetings on request."

Chicken Man's Mission

"We've got such a patchwork of ordinances in our 92 municipalities in the county," said Ruppert. "Some outlaw them all together, while cities like Kirkwood are pretty flexible. I think that's because Kirkwood has a long, early history of raising chickens at home.

"I have 26 and about half of them are beyond egg-laying age," said Ruppert. "Out in the country, they would be chicken-and-dumplings dinners by now. But I like to keep them around. I have names for the ones with real personality."

Ruppert said problems with urban chickens arise when owners try to raise too many chickens for the size of a property. Another problem arises when roosters are adopted, because they are early risers and wake up the whole neighborhood - and they can be a little testy.

"Roosters don't belong in town and should be outlawed," said Ruppert. "When I advise that at city meetings, I get these questions about how hens can lay eggs without the help of their rooster friends.

"Well, you have unfertilized eggs without the roosters," Ruppert explained. "You don't want fertilized eggs unless you want chicks. I think that question shows how far we've gotten away from our rural roots. We don't know where our food comes from and how it gets here."

Raising chickens is part of a growing sustainability movement, according to Ruppert. He said one of the many benefits of that movement is that people are getting back to the land, the outdoors, and appreciating the need to protect the earth.

Of course, folks who raise chickens in urban and suburban areas can add their own twist to the task. Ruppert puts golf balls in the hens' egg-laying hutches. He said he thinks it gives them encouragement and it also keeps them from kicking out all the hay in their egg-laying hideouts.

Ruppert said his hens are quiet with about the same decibel level as a normal human conversation. Hens do make some brief racket after proudly producing the proverbial "product" for which they are prized.

"Four hens are generally enough to get you a dozen eggs a week - easily," said Ruppert. "They are so rich and tasty. Eggs you buy in the store have usually sat for a while and are flat. The FDA regulations allow them to get as old as 60 days before sale."

Hazardous To Health?

The Grantwood Village ordinance to be acted on Nov. 15 puts emphasis on chicken coop cleanliness and prevention of disease. It notes that any chickens that contribute to the spread of salmonella, listeria or dangerous bacteria will result in their owners losing permits.

Several avian flu scares over the past decade have caused public concern, but the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has pointed out that small flocks pose literally no risk of transmission of avian flu to humans.

Advocates for sustainable lifestyles insist that it's the monster-size flocks in commercial poultry production that pose the most health risks. Confined and over-crowded conditions cause stress and weaken the birds' immune systems.

Ruppert said the whole back-to-the-backyards chicken movement is playing a positive role in educating people about food production and food safety. He likes to cite the "7 False Myths About Urban Chickens," by known chicken-whisperer Patricia Foreman, in making the case for the safety and beneficial side effects of raising chickens.

"I think people are getting into this precisely because they are concerned about food safety," said Ruppert. "They want to grow green. They want to be aware of the circle of life. They want to find out about sustainability. It's a positive thing."

Read more: http://www.southcountytimes.com/Art...ackles-Hometown-Hen-Houses.html#ixzz1ijGKggBI

Reply

 

[redriver]

I'm not sure where you live but maybe this gentleman can help you. I'm sure he could give you some advice - maybe send you some.

Reply

Thanks for the info! Our town is in California, just south of the Oregon border. A really long way away from St. Louis.

At this point, we have come up with a proposed code that will be voted on by registered voters in our June election. All we can do at this point is get people registered and campaign.

Wish us luck!

R.

 

[mkeawsh]

Thanks for the info! Our town is in California, just south of the Oregon border. A really long way away from St. Louis.

At this point, we have come up with a proposed code that will be voted on by registered voters in our June election. All we can do at this point is get people registered and campaign.

Wish us luck!

R.

I was just thinking that he might be able to send info that you could educate the voters - maybe by a pamphlet or some other ways of communication in your town, so they understand the issue they are voting on. It would be a real plus - I believe. If you are interested, you could PM me and I will see about getting his address and phone number for you.

G.

 

[redriver]

Well, we came up with a pro-chicken statement for the June ballot. Let me know what you guys think.

R.


Chickens have historically been kept in urban backyards as a reliable source of eggs. It wasn’t until the middle of the 20th Century that they started to be considered “farm” animals. Now, as more people grow their own vegetables, they again want the freedom to raise hens.

Six hens, the maximum under the proposed ordinance, will provide an average family with eggs year-round. Six hens will produce less waste than one average-sized dog. Unlike a dog or cat, hen waste is a valuable, high-nitrogen fertilizer. Hens are not loud. Their contented clucking has a similar volume as two people talking. Roosters will NOT be allowed. Hens will NOT be allowed to roam, and must be kept on their owner’s property. Furthermore, their coop must be built within setbacks, and must also be closer to the owner’s house than any neighbor’s home. The coop must be maintained in a clean and sanitary manner and no smells shall be perceptible at the property line. Owners will be fined for not following the requirements of the ordinance.

One of the most common myths about keeping backyard hens is that they will lower property values. There has not been a single documented case where that has happened. In fact, several cities that already allowed chickens (Denver, Seattle and Sacramento) have recently loosened their restrictions and lowered fees. Would they have done that if hens were lowering property values?

Vote YES to give families the right to provide for themselves on their own private property.