Backyard Chickens May Be Coming To Channahon

CHANNAHON, IL - The Channahon Village Board voted 4-2 Monday to move forward with continuing the discussion of drafting an ordinance to let Channahon residents raise backyard chickens. Trustees supporting the measure were Sam Greco, Scott McMillin, Chantal Host and Mark Scaggs. The two dissenters were Scott Slocum and Patricia Perinar. Monday's vote overrules last month's recommendation by Channahon's planning and zoning commission.

Back in September, the advisory panel voted 4-3 urging Channahon's village board not to adopt a resolution that would allow backyard chickens within the village. The village board has final say.

On Tuesday morning, Channahon Village Administrator Tom Durkin told Patch that an ordinance governing backyard chickens is likely to come up for a vote at the village board's October 16 meeting or the first meeting of next month, which November 6. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

"So there's still some work to be done," Durkin said. "I would not consider it a final decision at this point. We still need an ordinance to establish a program."

However, Monday's vote by the village board sends a clear signal that Channahon is likely to follow the lead of several other Chicago suburban communities that already have laws on their books allowing for backyard chickens including Batavia, Burr Ridge, Downers Grove, Bensenville, Naperville, Oak Brook, Downers Grove, St. Charles, Warrenville, Wayne and Wood Dale.

The proposed ordinance will likely set parameters on how many chickens people can raise, fencing and where people can have their chicken coop as well as other building codes, Durkin indicated. "We've got a pretty good outline of an ordinance to go forward with," Durkin said.

Related: Channahon Debates Allowing Backyard Chickens

File image via Patch