Urban Chickens - First Reading at Town Council

TOWN OF WEST WARWICK

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

DATE: TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2012

PLACE: TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBER

1170 MAIN STREET, WEST WARWICK, RI 02893

Tonight the West Warwick Town Council had their first reading of ORDINANCE NO. 2012- 6.  This is the ordinance that we need changed in order for the residents of West Warwick to legally raises urban chickens for the purposes of fresh eggs.

Here is the proposal that was voted on and passed the first reading tonight.  In two weeks we will have the second reading and the ordinance is expected to pass.

TOWN OF WEST WARWICK ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL ORDINANCE NO.

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SEC. 4-24 ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE ANIMALS AND CONDITIONS, ADDING SEC. 4-24.1 KEEPING OF HENS AND AMENDING SEC. 4-34 KENNEL LICENCE OF THE WEST WARWICK CODE OF ORDINANCES.
WHEREAS: There has been shown an interest by the residents of the Town to raise hens for the personal consumption of home grown hens and the production for personal use of eggs from such hens, and

WHEREAS: The Town Council is desirous of enabling such endeavors but doing so in a manner that will be in the best interests of the Town and will have no adverse affect on the surrounding neighborhood, and

WHEREAS: The Town Council had been made aware of an error in the provisions for the issuing of kennel licenses and now desires to correct such error, Town Council

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED that the Town Council of the Town of West Warwick hereby that the West Warwick Code of Ordinance shall be amended as follows:

         Sec. 4-24. Abatement of nuisance animals and conditions shall be amended,

         Sec. 4-24.1. Keeping of hens and shall be added, and

         Sec. 4-34. Kennel license shall be amended as follows:

         Sec. 4-24. Abatement of nuisance animals and conditions.

       
(b) In addition to those animals prohibited by Rhode Island General Law, the keeping of specific creatures is designated as a public nuisance: fowl, poultry except hens as hereinafter provided for in Sec. 4-24.1 hereof, rabbits, pigeons, poisonous snakes, pigs, minks and any similar species which carry or may carry and spread diseases or otherwise may be considered unsanitary or present a nuisance or hazard to the general public, except for the following:

(1) Pet stores that are in compliance with all applicable local ordinances and state laws;

(2) Agricultural enterprises that are in compliance with all applicable local ordinance and   state laws;

(3) Research facilities that are in compliance with all applicable local ordinance and state laws;

(4) Creatures kept by special permit approved by the town council, with conditions as established by the town council;

(5) Rabbits and pigeons for personal enjoyment and/or use.

Sec. 4-24.1. Keeping of hens.

 (a) The keeping of hens shall be subject to the following restrictions and regulations:

(1) The keeping of hens shall be permitted in Residential Districts only and shall be on a lot containing a dwelling in which dwelling the owner of the hens must be a resident.

(2) There shall be no more than 12 hens per lot.

(3) The keeping of any roosters is prohibited.

(4) All hens must be provided with both a hen house and a fenced outdoor enclosure subject to the following conditions, restrictions and regulations:

a. The hen house must be covered, predator resistant and well ventilated.

b. The hen house must provide a minimum of two (2) square feet per hen.

c. The hen house must be kept clean, dry and sanitary at all times.

d. The hen house must be located on a permeable surface that prevents waste run-off.

e. The hen house must provide the hens with adequate protection from the elements and inclement weather and provide for the hens good health and prevent any unnecessary or unjustified suffering.

f. The enclosure fence must adequately contain the hens and provide security from intrusion by any predators or animals, wild or domesticated.

g. The fenced enclosure must be kept clean and sanitary at all times.

h. All manure must be composted in enclosed bins.

i. No food shall be placed in the open for the feeding of the hens except in such containers as will prevent the scattering of such food upon the ground.

(b) All hens shall be subject to the nuisance provisions of Sec. 4-24 of the West Warwick Code of Ordinances and must be confined in the hen house between the hours of 9:00 pm and 8:00 am.

Sec. 4-34. Kennel license.

(a) Required. No person shall operate a kennel as defined herein, without first obtaining a license to operate said establishment by the state director of environmental management, as provided in §4-19-6 of the Rhode Island General Laws; and obtaining a license to operate said establishment as issues by the town council.

(b) Kennel permitted. No license shall be issued by the town council, director of environmental management to operate a kennel on premises other than those designated by the zoning ordinances.

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SEC. 4-24 ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE ANIMALS AND CONDITIONS, ADDING SEC. 4-24.1 KEEPING OF HENS AND AMENDING SEC. 4-34

Until I blog again:  Eat Well, Live Life and Be Safe

Urban Chickens- Supporting the Urban Agricultural Movement

We are still waiting to be heard by the West Warwick Town Council in hopes that we can change the local chicken ordinance, to allow hens in our town for the purpose of providing fresh eggs.


The following is a fact sheet that I customized for the West Warwick Urban Chicken Campaign.


I would like to thank the following people/organizations who have thus far given their support:

• Christine Chitnis- from whom the fact sheet below originated
• John Engelhorn, colleague, friend, fellow West Warwick resident, Assistant Director of Campus Dining Johnson & Wales University
• Kenneth D. Ayars, Chief, Division of Agriculture, RIDEM
• Kathryn Teigen De Master, Ph.D., Visiting Assistant Professor, Center for Environmental Studies, Brown University
• Farm Fresh RI
• edible Rhody magazine
• Mark Bourget, Councilman Ward 5, West Warwick, RI.

URBAN CHICKENS:

S U P P O R T I N G T H E U R B A N A G R I C U L T U R A L

M O V E M E N T I N W E S T W A R W I C K

Why Urban Chickens?

As people grow more concerned about the economy, the environment, and food safety, there is a growing interest in vegetable gardening, canning food, and raising chickens. Adding urban chicken-keeping to this growth in local food would continue to establish West Warwick as a leader in the local food movement. More than 65% of major U.S. cities including Portland, Denver, Madison, Baltimore, and New Haven have chicken keeping ordinances. Now is the time for West Warwick to pass a chicken-keeping ordinance and build on the strength of its local food system.

Sustainability

It is estimated that the average American meal travels about 1500 miles to get from farm to plate. By increasing production of local food and keeping a small number of egg-laying hens, West Warwick residents can reduce their consumption of resources, use fewer pesticides on lawns and in gardens, and also be more self-reliant. In addition to these environmental benefits, homegrown eggs are also known to contain more nutrients and are less likely to contain hazardous bacteria. Hens provide a high nutrient fertilizer that is easily composted and offer a natural form of pest control.

Economic FactorsA readily available source of eggs would save money, energy, and time for West Warwick families. The initial cost of a small chicken coop and pen can be as little as $100. Hens cost very little to feed, especially if their diet is supplemented with weeds, grass clippings, bugs, and kitchen and garden scraps. A single hen lays around five eggs a week, or over 20 dozen eggs per year! At West Warwick farmers markets, fresh, locally produced eggs cost nearly $5 a dozen. Families raising their own hens will save close to $100 per chicken per year. Chickens can also save families additional money by reducing fertilizer and pesticide use.

Educational Opportunities
Several educational opportunities are available to Rhode Island residents dedicated to raising hens in the state. Since 1981, the Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) has partnered with Rhode Islanders to improve residents’ health and welfare by helping them grow food. SCLT is committed to educating city residents on responsible and economical chicken-raising. SCLT has offered to serve as a community resource to help answer chicken keeping questions, and provide free public workshops on raising urban chickens.  The Northeast Organic Farmers’ Association (NOFA) also offers Backyard Chicken Workshops throughout the year and at their annual summer conference.

Why West Warwick?

The unemployment rate in Rhode Island is at a record high, but food prices continue to rise, consuming a significant percentage of family budgets. The Rhode Island Food Bank reports that the prevalence of hunger in Rhode Island has reached the highest level in ten years. As the increased costs of food continue to hit West Warwick residents, efforts are urgently needed to increase both the affordability and availability of low-cost, local food. Enabling town residents to produce fresh eggs in their backyards increases access to healthy, affordable food, enhances sustainable environmental stewardship, and contributes to household economic resilience.


Benefits of Urban Chickens:

Local Source of Protein:  One egg provide 5.5 grams of protein, or 11% of the daily value for protein.

Better Quality:  Home-raised eggs tend to be naturally richer in many nutrients, including omega 3 fats and vitamin E, compared to chickens raised in industrial farm settings.  Also, there is no need to worry about food safety, antibiotics, or hormones.

Source of Fertilizer:  Chicken poop is high in nitrogen and, when added to compost, provides a rich food source for indoor and outdoor plants.

Natural Pest Control:  Chickens are great at controlling cockroaches, tomato horn worms, aphids, grubs, and many other unwanted insects.  Chickens will also eat small mice.

COMMON MYTHS ABOUT CHICKENS

They are noisy -- hens are one of the quietest domestic animals. Unless they are in danger, they do not squawk. They sleep at night just like most household pets, and are completely quiet from dusk to dawn.
They are dirty -- Chickens are very clean animals. They will occasionally give themselves “dirt baths” but this is actually in order for them to preen their feathers and keep themselves clean and cool.
They attract predators --Chickens do not attract predators any more than cats, rabbits, dogs and other pets.
They carry disease -- Diseases are much more likely to be harbored in confined animal feeding operations due to their sheer size and tight conditions than in a healthy backyard setting.
They need a lot of space -- Free range chickens need very little space. Most poultry associations designate that chickens need about 3 square feet of ranging area.



Until I Blog Again:  Eat Well, Live Life, Be Safe, and go raise some chickens


45FWZESBZDER

Changing the Chicken Law, So I Can Raise My Own Chickens in the Suburbs

I am trying to "Legally" raise chickens (hens) in West Warwick, RI so that I can have fresh eggs.

I contacted the West Warwick Town Council, through a friend of mine, but he was informed that it was illegal to raise chickens in West Warwick, I felt it was my duty to try and change the West Warwick law.  Seeing as though many large cities and small towns have already done the same.  In fact the following article was just pubished by

 
 U.S. City Dwellers Flock to Raising Chickens


Thus my Chicken Law experience began.

First thing I did was to send the following email to the Town Manager and each of the Town Council Members. 

Hello Mr. Town Manager and honorable town council members.

I hope this email finds you well.

I am a resident of our beloved town of West Warwick, I am also a chef, a foodie and a locavore who strongly believes in acting locally and thinking globally. I do my best to raise my own vegetable during the summer months, buying produce items during the non-growing months from farmers markets, and I buy my meats from local Rhode Island farmers.

I recently decided I wanted to raise a few chickens (no more than 3 hens) for the purposes of having fresh eggs, eggs that are not from chickens that have been fed steroids and pumped with antibiotics. But before I invested in buying the chickens and the chicken coop I wanted to make sure it was allowed, unfortunately yesterday I found out through my friends the Paliotta family that it is against the West Warwick zoning laws and or charter to raise chickens for eggs.

I am curious as to the reason for the ban? As I am sure many of you know many cities and towns in the United States permit their residents to raise chickens for the purposes of having fresh eggs, including Providence.

What would be the process to change the zoning or ordinance to raise chickens?

I thank you for your time and look forward to your response.

I quickly received from Mark Bourget, my town council representative stating that he would look into the matter.  A few days later Mr. Bourget informed me of the following:

This is the problem here in West Warwick and I am sure in other places as well. As you can see from the e-mail below there is a conflict between the zoning codes and the ordinance. I am going to have this placed on the next council agenda and see if the ordinance can be modified. In my opinion, if a person wants to raise chickens so they can have their own fresh eggs that is their choice and should not be obstructed. I will keep you informed.

Since that time Mr. Bourget has worked with the other council members to get a feel for the climate of acceptance from he fellow council members and the solicitor this is the email I received today.

  

One council member is uncomfortable with it as well as the solicitor. The zoning lawyer also has some concerns that he is going to mention Tuesday. This is listed as a first reading so if you cannot attend I can fill you in. There will be a second reading later in the month to finalize the ordinance.

I did just talk to the zoning lawyer his main concern is chickens being raised in certain areas of town that would not be appropriate, like very small yards with close neighbors.

So now I am pulling together resources that I have found while doing some research so that I can be prepared at this meeting.  Luckily I also have Chef John Engelhorn, a fellow West Warwick resident who is Pro Chicken Raising to help me and attend the Town Council Meeting as well.

I will keep you posted, but below you will find some of the great resources I have so far.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/PECK-green-News-People-Encouraging-Chicken-Keeping-in-greater-RI/140475832699344

U.S. City Dwellers Flock to Raising Chickens  http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5900



 Until I blog again:  Eat Well, Life Life and Be Safe  and go raise some chickens,,,,