Clucking but no crowing– pet chickens in South Portland? (Printed June 8, 2007)
By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
In order to be successful in their campaign for a pet, most children have to convince their parents that they are responsible enough to care for an animal. Ten-year-old Olivia Collins, however, faces an additional challenge: convincing the South Portland City Council that she should be allowed to raise chickens on her family’s 5,500 square foot lot in the city’s Thornton Heights neighborhood.
“I believe in helping the environment and sustainable living,” Collins said addressing the council. “Chickens are the ultimate ‘Reduce/Recycle/Reuse’ because they eat garden scraps and then provide fertilizer for the garden and fresh eggs.” She said local, organic eggs are healthier for the body and reduce dependence on “food from far away.”
Collins is interested in raising heritage breeds of chickens, which were used for backyard flocks in colonial times. If handled when they are chicks, she said hens could be “fun and affectionate pets.” Roosters are not included in her request.
South Portland’s residential zoning ordinances currently state “the keeping of farm-type animals, including but not limited to horses, ponies, cattle, pigs and fowl, the keeping of dogs, cats, and rabbits for commercial purposes and other uses offensive and detrimental to the neighborhood are prohibited.” Collins and her family are requesting the ordinance be amended to state, “fowl other than five or fewer pet hens; the keeping of dogs, cats, hens, and rabbits for commercial purposes…are prohibited.”
At last Wednesday’s council workshop, Collins request to amend the zoning ordinances was met with hesitation from the council and city officials. Planning and Development Director Tex Haeuser also cited concerns regarding property values, health risks, requests for other types of domestic animals and an increased burden on animal control and health officers.
Jim Soule and Linda Boudreau both were initially in favor of what Boudreau called “just another pet,” but then they expressed concern over moving ahead too quickly.
“I’m more inclined to think at least in the first year, we could have a lot of chickens that weren’t thought out,” Boudreau said. She said the impact on property values was another reason for her hesitation.
“I would worry if I looked out into the neighbor’s house and saw a chicken house,” she said.
Stacey Collins, Olivia’s mother, said backyard chickens are “a growing trend in educated, upscale communities.”
“The chicken coop we would like to build will be stick-built and sided in clapboards, with the same roofing as our house and garage,” she said in an email responding to the council’s concerns. “It will be painted to match the house; yellow with white trim. It will have opening windows and a window box with flowers.”
Collins pointed to Cape Elizabeth, where residents can keep chickens for non-commercial purposes, and Westbrook, which is in the process of considering an ordinance change, as examples of two urban areas that are receptive to the concept of backyard chickens.
Bruce Smith, Code Enforcement Officer in Cape Elizabeth, said the town allows residents to raise chickens for pets or for eggs, but residents cannot even put up a sign advertising eggs for sale. He said the only restriction within any of the residential districts that allow agriculture is that residents with less than 100,000 square feet can have fowl and livestock for their own use only.
When asked if there were any restrictions in the town’s Broad Cove area, which Soule specifically inquired about, Smith said there might be some neighborhood association covenants in subdivisions that prohibit the keeping of chickens.
“Most smart developers, for their own protection, would probably disallow the keeping of animals or livestock,” he said.
Smith said the only complaints he hears are when residents let their chickens run loose and they wander onto someone else’s property. He said that has only happened “a couple of times” as most residents keep their chickens in a fenced in area.
Most of the chicken coops are “done up fairly nice,” Smith said. He said many of the coops look like small sheds. He said he knows of one coop in the town constructed with granite and a copper roof that is worth roughly $40,000.
Diana Brown, Assistant Code Enforcement Officer for the city of Westbrook, said the planning board made a recommendation to allow for six fowl to be allowed on lots 10,000 square feet or larger. She said the city council would be making a decision within a couple of weeks.
Collins said she and Olivia spoke to more than 40 of their neighbors about their desire to raise chickens.
“We thought for sure we were going to have some opposition,” she said last Thursday. “We were shocked…everybody was 100 percent supportive.”
Val Bramble, who lives five houses down the street from Collins, said she supported the family’s project.
“I am inspired by folks who try to grow their own food and do what they can to take care of themselves,” she said.
She said she could understand why some people might be opposed because it may be difficult to monitor everyone’s animals, however, she said the issues are no different than with any other pet. “I don’t think people would take advantage of having chickens. There won’t be a run on chickens around here.”
At the workshop, Councilor Kay Loring disagreed and said she would not be in favor of supporting what could be a trend-starting event. She said a public hearing on the issue would likely bring out a lot of unhappy people.
“It is not at all easy or convenient to purchase baby chicks,” Collins said. “The nearest feed stores are quite a drive away and are careful to talk people out of impulse buys.”
State Veterinarian Donald Hoenig said state regulations only allow for the purchase of six chicks at a time. He said if the chickens are kept in a sanitary manner and away from migratory birds, they do not pose a health threat.
South Portland Animal Control Officer Stanley Brown said chickens would also need to be kept away from foxes, coyotes, fisher cats and other predators.
“I’m not against chickens, I grew up on a farm and had a chicken,” he said. “There are a lot of things we do have to think about.”
Haeuser proposed the council consider allowing up to five hens with no minimum lot size with the following conditions: payment of a $50 fee, submission of abutters’ written approval, absence of any written objections after notice is sent to property owners within 150 feet of applicant’s property, receipt of signed release form relieving the city of any responsibility for protecting the chickens from predators and allowing for removal of the chickens if they pose a possible health threat or if an abutter has rescinded approval within 45 days.
The council will likely take up the issue at another workshop within the next week.
Staff Writer
In order to be successful in their campaign for a pet, most children have to convince their parents that they are responsible enough to care for an animal. Ten-year-old Olivia Collins, however, faces an additional challenge: convincing the South Portland City Council that she should be allowed to raise chickens on her family’s 5,500 square foot lot in the city’s Thornton Heights neighborhood.
“I believe in helping the environment and sustainable living,” Collins said addressing the council. “Chickens are the ultimate ‘Reduce/Recycle/Reuse’ because they eat garden scraps and then provide fertilizer for the garden and fresh eggs.” She said local, organic eggs are healthier for the body and reduce dependence on “food from far away.”
Collins is interested in raising heritage breeds of chickens, which were used for backyard flocks in colonial times. If handled when they are chicks, she said hens could be “fun and affectionate pets.” Roosters are not included in her request.
South Portland’s residential zoning ordinances currently state “the keeping of farm-type animals, including but not limited to horses, ponies, cattle, pigs and fowl, the keeping of dogs, cats, and rabbits for commercial purposes and other uses offensive and detrimental to the neighborhood are prohibited.” Collins and her family are requesting the ordinance be amended to state, “fowl other than five or fewer pet hens; the keeping of dogs, cats, hens, and rabbits for commercial purposes…are prohibited.”
At last Wednesday’s council workshop, Collins request to amend the zoning ordinances was met with hesitation from the council and city officials. Planning and Development Director Tex Haeuser also cited concerns regarding property values, health risks, requests for other types of domestic animals and an increased burden on animal control and health officers.
Jim Soule and Linda Boudreau both were initially in favor of what Boudreau called “just another pet,” but then they expressed concern over moving ahead too quickly.
“I’m more inclined to think at least in the first year, we could have a lot of chickens that weren’t thought out,” Boudreau said. She said the impact on property values was another reason for her hesitation.
“I would worry if I looked out into the neighbor’s house and saw a chicken house,” she said.
Stacey Collins, Olivia’s mother, said backyard chickens are “a growing trend in educated, upscale communities.”
“The chicken coop we would like to build will be stick-built and sided in clapboards, with the same roofing as our house and garage,” she said in an email responding to the council’s concerns. “It will be painted to match the house; yellow with white trim. It will have opening windows and a window box with flowers.”
Collins pointed to Cape Elizabeth, where residents can keep chickens for non-commercial purposes, and Westbrook, which is in the process of considering an ordinance change, as examples of two urban areas that are receptive to the concept of backyard chickens.
Bruce Smith, Code Enforcement Officer in Cape Elizabeth, said the town allows residents to raise chickens for pets or for eggs, but residents cannot even put up a sign advertising eggs for sale. He said the only restriction within any of the residential districts that allow agriculture is that residents with less than 100,000 square feet can have fowl and livestock for their own use only.
When asked if there were any restrictions in the town’s Broad Cove area, which Soule specifically inquired about, Smith said there might be some neighborhood association covenants in subdivisions that prohibit the keeping of chickens.
“Most smart developers, for their own protection, would probably disallow the keeping of animals or livestock,” he said.
Smith said the only complaints he hears are when residents let their chickens run loose and they wander onto someone else’s property. He said that has only happened “a couple of times” as most residents keep their chickens in a fenced in area.
Most of the chicken coops are “done up fairly nice,” Smith said. He said many of the coops look like small sheds. He said he knows of one coop in the town constructed with granite and a copper roof that is worth roughly $40,000.
Diana Brown, Assistant Code Enforcement Officer for the city of Westbrook, said the planning board made a recommendation to allow for six fowl to be allowed on lots 10,000 square feet or larger. She said the city council would be making a decision within a couple of weeks.
Collins said she and Olivia spoke to more than 40 of their neighbors about their desire to raise chickens.
“We thought for sure we were going to have some opposition,” she said last Thursday. “We were shocked…everybody was 100 percent supportive.”
Val Bramble, who lives five houses down the street from Collins, said she supported the family’s project.
“I am inspired by folks who try to grow their own food and do what they can to take care of themselves,” she said.
She said she could understand why some people might be opposed because it may be difficult to monitor everyone’s animals, however, she said the issues are no different than with any other pet. “I don’t think people would take advantage of having chickens. There won’t be a run on chickens around here.”
At the workshop, Councilor Kay Loring disagreed and said she would not be in favor of supporting what could be a trend-starting event. She said a public hearing on the issue would likely bring out a lot of unhappy people.
“It is not at all easy or convenient to purchase baby chicks,” Collins said. “The nearest feed stores are quite a drive away and are careful to talk people out of impulse buys.”
State Veterinarian Donald Hoenig said state regulations only allow for the purchase of six chicks at a time. He said if the chickens are kept in a sanitary manner and away from migratory birds, they do not pose a health threat.
South Portland Animal Control Officer Stanley Brown said chickens would also need to be kept away from foxes, coyotes, fisher cats and other predators.
“I’m not against chickens, I grew up on a farm and had a chicken,” he said. “There are a lot of things we do have to think about.”
Haeuser proposed the council consider allowing up to five hens with no minimum lot size with the following conditions: payment of a $50 fee, submission of abutters’ written approval, absence of any written objections after notice is sent to property owners within 150 feet of applicant’s property, receipt of signed release form relieving the city of any responsibility for protecting the chickens from predators and allowing for removal of the chickens if they pose a possible health threat or if an abutter has rescinded approval within 45 days.
The council will likely take up the issue at another workshop within the next week.
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