Schneider hosts public forum about animal and chicken ordinance
The Town of Schneider held a public forum at their April 28 meeting to gauge their residents’ interest in amending the the town’s Animal/Chicken Ordinance.
Council president David Harris said the town posed the question as to whether or not the town should allow residents to have chickens in a questionnaire in their town newsletter. The town received 27 responses from people in favor of the amendment, six people who didn’t want the ordinance changed and five who were neutral on the matter.
One of the concerns that was brought up by the residents was in regards to roosters. It was pointed out that some nearby communities are allowed to have laying hens but not roosters. If the animals were to become a public nuisance, the residents understood that would have to be addressed.
However, it was noted allowing the chickens would be helpful to the children who are involved in 4-H. With Schneider being an agricultural community, allowing the chickens seemed to make sense to Ken Lynch.
“We’re a rural agricultural community,” Lynch said. “I don’t see a problem with it.”
Emily Adams was also in favor of allowing the chickens. Adams’ six chickens have been with the family since they moved into town from Illinois, and before that, Virginia. She said the family uses them for eggs, but she also enjoys watching them for stress relief. Adams would be open to a cap on the quantity, and perhaps even agreeing with barring roosters with some leeway as not all chicks are female.
“You don’t know they’re a rooster until they’re older or they start crowing,” Adams pointed out. “You need to get rid of them, cull them or give them away.”
Adams told council other factors, such as the size of the enclosure where the chickens are kept and to ensure they’re not cramped. She also said controlling the odor wouldn’t be unreasonable either, which is a concern of councilwoman Crista Stavros, who lives next to a large chicken coop.
“That’s my concern,” Stavros said. “The odor. Can everybody in town have them or every single household in town have one? Because we’re only 50 feet wide.”
Harris also noted the town ordinance that also currently prohibits a variety of small animals. Adams suggested researching what some of the surrounding communities have set forth into law in regards to the number of animals a resident may be allowed to keep.
Harris said a sample ordinance was put together to give council the idea of what could be done in regards to chickens. He said items such as waste removal, odor control and setback distances were included in the sample ordinance.
“We still have more research to do,” Harris said. “We could write in the ordinance that you have to get a permit, and that requires to be available for a reasonable inspection.”
Councilman Kevin Gray believes they should issue an annual permit for the animals. Harris thinks council should move towards a point of establishing “objective criteria that is not who you know or who will look the other way.”
Clerk-treasurer Jenny Beier said most farm animals are excluded from the ordinance, as are anything that doesn’t fall under the category of pet. However, it was pointed out by a member of the gallery that there is a “fine line” between what constitutes a pet and livestock, especially in regards to 4H members.
The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. May 26.