Proposed Farmington Chicken Ordinance Raises Council Concerns

Farmington officials moved forward a proposed ordinance Monday that would allow residents to keep chickens, but a few questions remain. 

While all council members voted to introduce the ordinance, , Bill Galvin and Kristin Kuiken expressed concerns about the precedent set for other livestock.

"Wouldn't it be easier to let individuals get a variance?" Galvin asked.

City manager Vince Pastue said residents who applied would have a hard time proving a hardship, which is required to obtain a variance. He said anyone who wants to keep another kind of livestock would also have to go through the planning commission process.

The proposed ordinance addresses concerns raised by residents in March . The version approved by the planning commission establishes a limit of three chickens per home, prohibits roosters, and requires a 50-foot setback from neighboring homes, among other rules. 

On Monday, council member Greg Cowley, who calls himself "anti-chicken", proposed another condition. He said keeping chickens is an "infringement upon your neighbors, if they deem it as such" and suggested a requirement to obtain approval from adjacent property owners, which is a standard in Ann Arbor.

Pastue pointed out that neighbors come and go, which could make that condition difficult to administer. 

While Cowley said he would never buy a home next door to someone who is raising chickens, council member JoAnne McShane said she would rather live next door to someone with three chickens than someone with three dogs "barking and pooping". She gave the planning commission high marks for their work with the final ordinance. 

Pastue said homeowners who are currently keeping chickens could be "grandfathered", so they can keep their chickens, but would not be allowed to replace them once they die. He said the city attorney should be consulted regarding the issues around having a neighbor approval requirement.

"At our June 4 study session, we can bring back a lot more (information) on these items," he said.