Milton votes to draft hen regulations
MILTON — Want backyard chickens in Milton?
Some members of the city council aren’t happy about it, but the city’s taking the request under advisement.
City staff this week floated a draft on regulations that would spell out rules that could allow people to keep up to six hens as a conditional use in some residential areas of the city.
The rules would still have to be approved by the council, but the council voted Tuesday to have city attorney Mark Schroeder draw them up. The move came via a 4-3 vote of the council earlier this week, with Mayor Tom Chesmore casting the tiebreaker.
Under a set of tentative rules approved by the council this week, the ordinance would:
-- Limit the number of chickens to six hens per owner on single-family lots zoned R3 and R4.
-- Prohibit roosters and noisier fowl such as guinea hens and peacocks.
-- Mandate that chickens be kept in backyards in enclosures that are at least 15 feet from lot lines.
-- Set recommendations for the size and construction of enclosures, including that the enclosures be portable.
-- Set fees for permits between $75 and $125 and establish a $15 annual licensing fee per owner.
Under a process being considered by the council, each applicant would first have to go through a public hearing. The ordinance also would require signed consent from neighbors with adjoining properties to prospective chicken owners.
Some city council members also are pushing for the city to include a permit revocation process and possible fines for noncompliance.
The city’s rules wouldn’t specifically bar people with backyard chickens from slaughtering the birds, although tentative language in the rules would prohibit people from doing so publicly.
It’s not clear whether the council will support an ordinance for backyard chickens.
Alderman Brett Frazier this week said he wouldn’t support an ordinance. He called the idea of urban chickens “silly” and inappropriate for Milton.
Alderman David Adams, who also opposes backyard chickens, said he’s disappointed that city staff spent time researching the issue and preparing recommended rules.
Chesmore this week defended city staff’s work on the ordinance. The city is simply being responsive to a request by a resident to permit backyard chickens, he said.
Other Rock County communities such as Edgerton are grappling with the same issue.
Milton should be doing the same due diligence as other municipalities, Chesmore said.
Aug 7, 2012 at 2:14 p.m.
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Shopie,
I dont believe chickens cost 75-115 each. Only the permit. I have no idea what the current market price is for an egg bearing hen-maybe it is a lot of money on a per unit basis. If someone wants a personal chicken coop-115 is not a lot of money to pay for the right to raise metro chickens.
Also, this is an opportunity for an entraprenuer to create a new business constructing indoor and outdoor coops or a chicken feed depot or a coop repair business-to say nothing of the ability to sell fresh caged/coop metro milton eggs. Who knows maybe a new wingstop or any other chicken wing restaurant franchise will locate in Milton celebrating this-creating new jobs!
Aug 7, 2012 at 1:47 p.m.
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City of Milton-please don't be like the city of Edgerton and not allow hens in the city limits... and when you're setting the rules, please consider adopting a plan nearly identical to what Madison uses, which is working fine and producing home-raised food for many people... the huge fees you plan to impose with the current proposal are ridiculously high and part of the point of raising hens at home is to reduce overall food costs and not to increase them...
Aug 3, 2012 at 11:40 a.m.
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I see a REALITY TV show in the making if this goes through - so very stupid.
Jul 28, 2012 at 1:02 p.m.
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"Under a process being considered by the council, each applicant would first have to go through a public hearing. The ordinance also would require signed consent from neighbors with adjoining properties to prospective chicken owners."-from the article.
For Pete's sake, they are talking about a few chickens, not a toxic waste dump or a carnival or something. What is wrong with those people?
Jul 28, 2012 at 12:55 p.m.
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"Set fees for permits between $75 and $125 and establish a $15 annual licensing fee per owner."-from article.
Causing the chickens to cost that much should take all of the fun out of it and keep people going to the grocery store for their eggs or chicken meat.
Jul 28, 2012 at 10:31 a.m.
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this is a good thing and people should be allowed to have hens in the city limits...but 6 hens seems a bit too high...
http://madcitychickens.com/faq.html
check out this link to the Mad City Chickens facts sheet...
Jul 28, 2012 at 7:07 a.m.
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The city of Madison, where more people are open minded and educated, has deemed it ok to have chickens. Chickens eat pesky beetles off vegetables, thler poop is compostable, unlike dogs or cats, they provide a nutrient source (eggs) in tough times making one a little more self sufficient. Not all of us can live in the country but we can be more self-reliant than a visit to the grocery store.
Jul 28, 2012 at 7:06 a.m.
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Hey, if a hen flies into your yard it becomes yours!
. . .
That's how O-Bummer feels about the illegal Mexicans in our country.
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Mmmmmmmm, buffalo wings and beer can chicken on the grill! Yum!
Jul 28, 2012 at 2:32 a.m.
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Oh the smell. Good luck with that. Wait until a hen flies over the fence into a neighbor's yard. Gotta love it. LOL
Jul 27, 2012 at 8:48 p.m.
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if you want chickens, move to the farm.
Jul 27, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.
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"Alderman Brett Frazier this week said he wouldn’t support an ordinance. He called the idea of urban chickens “silly” and inappropriate for Milton."
The tentative fees are the only silly thing about this idea. Permits between $75 and $125? A $15 annual licensing fee per owner? What's next, a leash law for urban chickens? Bawk bawk bawk!
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