Brentwood Public Works in Favor of Chickens, But No Vote Taken Yet
A Brentwood resident is making recommendations for wording for an ordinance.
Brentwood could be on its way to joining neighboring cities in allowing backyard chickens.
At Wednesday's Public Works Committee meeting, council members Andy Leahy (Ward 3), Cindy Manestar (Ward 2), Keith Robertson (Ward 3) and Maureen Saunders (Ward 1) discussed allowing chickens in Brentwood, and all were in favor of it.
Brentwood resident Angie Hulshoff, in the 8700 block of Rosalie Avenue, had chickens for three years before she was notified by the city that she was breaking city code.
She said before she got the chickens a city official told her it was OK, and hadn't had a complaint the whole time.
The Board of Aldermen voted on Jan. 7 to allow her to keep her chickens, while putting a moratorium on any more coming into the city. Then the board sent it to the Public Works Committee for review.
At Wednesday's public works meeting, at Manestar's suggestion, the committee decided to let Hulshoff make recommendations for a Brentwood ordinace allowing chickens.
City Administrator Bola Akande gave Hulshuff copies of chicken ordinances for Webster Groves, Clayton and Rock Hill for reference. Maplewood also allows chickens.
Hulshoff said she is inclined to keep it simple.
"The less restrictions that there are the better," she said. "We have so many codes already that cover a lot of the issues that can come up.
"It looks good. We're getting closer," she said.
Also in Patch:
Citi for Honest Governance
8:01 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Brentwood BOA,
All for reasonable rights and accommodation to Brentwood citizens.
I don't believe that this ordinance should be drafted with limited restriction.
There are reasons citizens choose suburban environments vs rural areas. The most important concern is the health and safety of our residents. A review of similar legislation drafted in similar suburban environments is likely a rapid solution.
A quick example:
In unincorporated Brentwood, residents are allowed to keep chickens on their property as pets, but may not breed them for sale or sell any of their bi-products. Must have a reasonable structure for the keeping of said chickens.
This permission extends to a maximum of five(5) hens, no Roosters for each zoned residential lot.
Residents who keep chickens on their property must abide by all MO Statutes and local ordinances and not allow the animals to become a public nuisance.
(Nuisance if: a) Soils, defiles, or defecates on any property unless the waste is immediately removed, b)Damages any property of a person other than a person responsible for the animal, c)Causes unsanitary or dangerous conditions, d)Causes excessive noise, e)Attacks, or interferes with a person or animals any property not belonging to a person responsible for the animal, f)Impedes any public service activities by annoying persons responsible for such activities). Residents who live in a municipality must check with local ordinances before keeping chickens on residential property.