Highland Park City Council To Reconsider Backyard Chicken Permits

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Backyard chicken coops would be permitted in Highland Park under an amendment to the city nuisance code due to be considered next month. At a committee meeting Monday, members of the Highland Park City Council discussed a proposal for allowing backyard chicken-keeping and directed staff to draft an ordinance establishing regulations and permits.

Highland Park City Code currently only allows for chickens, geese, ducks, non-homing pigeons, turkeys or other fowl to be kept at least 100 feet from any property line and at least 300 feet from the home of anyone other than their owners. The few properties that qualify can host at least 25 birds under existing regulation.

The City Council considering allowing backyard chicken coops in 2014 but decided against an amendment to the code to allow it on smaller properties, according to a memo to the City Council from Assistant City Manager Rob Sabo. It said concerns over public health and nuisances could be managed through regulations of setback and sanitation requirements.

Research indicates the main benefits of backyard chickens are a feeling of autonomy over one's food and the human-animal bond, according to Sabo's memo. It said the main public health risks are limited to people in direct contact with the birds or eating their eggs and meat. Education and regulation can mostly mitigate those risks.

At least three North Shore municipalities have begun allowing backyard chicken-keeping in the past decade, according to city staff. Evanston began allowing chickens in 2010, and there are currently 22 properties with permits for backyard coops. Deerfield began issuing chicken permits in 2013 and now has 9 properties where they are allowed. Last year, Lake Bluff begun a pilot program, but there is currently only a single property with a permit.

Following consultation with state public health officials and a review of local ordinances of other municipalities, Sabo's memo recommended a list of stipulations, some of which were modified following discussion by the City Council. According to City Manager Ghida Neukirch, the general requirements of the draft ordinance will include:

• A maximum of six hens would be allowed on any given property. Roosters would be prohibited but chicks would be allowed.
• Hens must be confined to a coop or chicken run at all times. Sanitation, nuisance and humane conditions will be regulated and on-site slaughtering would be prohibited.
• Premises registration with the Illinois Department of Agriculture and a local licensing process that would require a permit from the Community Development Department to build a coop would be required.
• Chickens would only be allowed in backyards of homes in areas zoned for single-family residential use. Coops would need to be at least 10 feet from any property line or occupied home and would require at least 4 square feet per hen, could be no taller than 8 feet and must protect hens from weather and wild animals.
• City staff would offer various educational materials on public health concerns to all licensees. There would be an initial inspection, and later inspections could be triggered by complaints.

The potential amendment to the city's code on public nuisances would not affect its regulations on keeping other fowl or its absolute ban on keeping, maintaining or harboring any homing pigeons within city limits.

Neukirch said staff will prepare a draft ordinance to be ready for consideration by the City Council at its May 13 meeting.