Residents Respond to ‘Urban Chicken’ Survey

CAPE CHARLES WAVE

September 22, 2014

Results are in for the Town of Cape Charles “Urban Chicken Survey,” which asked residents their opinion on whether hens should be allowed in town. Town Council and the Planning Commission will hold a work session to discuss the results Thursday, September 25, at 6 p.m. at the Civic Center (Old Library). The public may attend but not speak.

Responses were tabulated from 75 property owners, 20 of whom own in Bay Creek, which has its own rules prohibiting chickens that cannot be overridden by Town Council. Bay Creek responses are not shown separately from Historic District responses. Of the 75 responses, 39 oppose backyard chickens in town, 35 support them, and 7 want more information before making a decision.

Here are the respondents’ comments:

SUPPORT

1. As the dollar is increasingly undermined, raising food will become paramount.

2. I have concerns about the portion of the population that is allergic or highly allergic to chicken feathers, but this is balanced by my support of vegetable gardening and other sustainable homesteading practices.

3. 3-4 chickens [maximum].  NO ROOSTERS. Must be housed in a clean, movable, at least partially covered coop.

4. We have worse eyesores in this town than clean, egg-producing chickens.

5. At this point a fairly large number of urban communities throughout Virginia and the United States allow residents to keep a few hens. They have done this for a number of good reasons. It’s great to know where your food is coming from. Chickens provide natural fertilizer. Chickens eat insects. I encourage Cape Charles to allow owners to raise a few chickens. On a separate note, there seem to be a number of folks in Cape Charles that just let their dog wander around the city. Dogs should be with their owner when they are outside, unless they are in a fenced yard.

6. I feel that chickens are fine but a limit to 6 per lot should be enforced. Chickens have proven to be a great way to control bugs and ticks. Chickens are very interesting and make great pets while providing a variety of benefits.

7. There is no harm in keeping a few chickens as pets or whatever you prefer to call them, or rabbits as long as they have enough room and do not disturb the immediate neighbors.

8. Having observed “up close and personal” chicken keeping in a fenced residential setting I wholeheartedly support the idea and the practice as long as the guidelines set by the town are followed. I built my little “granny cottage” on the rear of my daughter’s home and was interested to learn about and interact with her six hens. My grandsons helped care for the chickens, helping to build and paint their very artistic chicken coop, changing their bedding every day, helping to feed and water them every day and gathering the daily fresh eggs. The chickens naturally went into their coop at sundown every day and were in general very quiet. They did come to “visit” me as I sat on my swing in good weather. They got along well with my two cats — the kitties did not chase the hens. I observed the hens pecking at and eating bugs out of my garden and would settle under a bush to rest. Occasionally they would hop up on my swing to say hello and to softly talk with gentle clucks, and study, this human creature, which I enjoyed. The hens were definitely good pets and educational for the boys. And, the very fresh eggs they provided every day were delicious! We did not keep our hens for slaughter, only for the companionship and education they provided. At 74 years of age, my only prior interaction with chickens was when I was a child, observing my grandmother running after one of her chickens with a cleaver in her hand. So I was entranced by our fascinating chicken pets, their place in our family and in our fenced yard, and would recommend the practice of keeping a few hens to anyone.

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9. We plan to retire to Cape Charles in a few short years and my answer will remain the same. Yes, I support the chickens! (FYI, we are having this exact same discussion in Lexington, VA.)

10. The urban chicken trend is so widespread that COSTCO is now selling upscale chicken coops. There is a sample on display in the Norfolk store plus two more versions online. I think the rules as written are fair and enforceable.

11. Bring on the chickens!

12. Living once in KeyWest the roosters wake the whole town up. As long as there are no roosters I favor the keeping of chickens (as long as the no rooster portion is enforced).

13. As long as the chickens and property are kept up, then it should be nobody’s business what they have or do on their property.

14. Mr. Testerman did a great job with this draft. I feel it is fair and unobtrusive, and should meet the approval of most residents.

15. Not a problem. Sounds like a really interesting way to enrich the town.

MAYBE

1. I think the town has more important things to worry about than chickens, but if allowing chickens will stop the squawking (pun intended) of those who need to have something to complain about, please move forward with the chicken study. Please do not hire an outside consultant or use town funds to study this somewhat frivolous issue.

2. Do they have to be full-time residents, or could part-timers do it and have someone come in to check-in/care for chickens when the homeowner isn’t here? What would coop requirements be? Would a fence around the property be required? How many chickens? Would people be required to sell eggs according to Health Department regulations or would we turn a blind eye and just let them sell if they want to? If they sell, will they be allowed to put a sign on property? Will you have to have a business license if you sell eggs? Will you be allowed to do it by right or will you have to have permit/zoning approval? Will there be only so many permits/total number of chickens allowed within town limits? I support no roosters. I’d like more information on my questions before I can make an informed decision.

3. I have two concerns: there would be runoff into the Bay from badly managed chicken coops. Also, people would let the chickens run loose. Absolutely no roosters!

DO NOT SUPPORT

1. I can’t believe that you would allow such a dirty and loud animal in the city where the houses are so close together.

2. My greatest concerns are (1) The burden of code enforcement for keeping chickens given that the average lot within town is less than 5,000 square feet. (2) Code enforcement should be consistent for the common good of the community. Bay Creek residents cannot keep chickens and neither should property owners within town. (3) The effect that chicken keeping would have on tourism.

3. Go to Key West and check out the chicken problems there.

4. Salmonella could be a problem with chickens kept in an area with the density of the Historic District not to mention the odor from the waste from the chickens. In addition over time chicken coops will be maintained to varying standards, some very good and some very poorly. This could turn out to be a real liability to the reputation of the town. The state of these coops could turn into an enforcement nightmare.

5. I feel that chickens should not be allowed in the town of Cape Charles. We start allowing people to have chickens, next it will be something else. I know that people have said that this is a little Mayberry and want to get the town to be their ideal place since moving here. I am sure that the areas where some of them moved from did not allow chickens. Please do not allow this town to become rural as it is out of town. For people who want chickens, I would suggest that they lease some property out of town in order to raise their chickens. Unfortunately, many of the decisions about this town are made on personal agendas. Plus, people moving here realize that most of the things they ask for they usually get. This survey is unfair because many of the locals do not have a computer to complete such a survey. It is always said that people can go to the library. They should not have to do this when others have computers that they are using all the time. No! No! No!

6. Chickens don’t belong in a town where houses are almost touching each other. And if they are not almost touching, the distances provided by property lines aren’t far greater. Noise, smell and even loud conversations can travel far enough to be annoying. There are people who let their dogs run free or never clean up after them while in public. Chickens don’t belong because raising them is not cost effective in an urban setting; it requires additional responsibility on a daily basis from the owner ( I hope the owner is not the one who lets Fido run freely) and it imposes the ill-behaviors of a few so that all the citizens must endure the consequences. Chickens shouldn’t be on the list of priorities for the Town of Cape Charles.

7. I’m concerned about vermin and predators being attracted by the chickens. I believe chickens should be kept on farms or larger plots of land than we typically see in the Historic District.

8. Chickens are not pets. They’re poultry. Honestly, the town is already overrun with stray cats; I wish the town would address that problem before it permits more critters. Thanks for the survey. Nice to have input.

9. This is a terrible idea. Chickens are noisy and should not be allowed in a residential town like Cape Charles where the houses are in such close proximity to one another. They would disrupt the quiet enjoyment of the property owner’s homes.

10. My opinion is if you wish to have barnyard animals live on a farm.

11. Chickens and other farm animals do not belong within city limits,which is what most towns follow. This is not Green Acres but a beach community!

12. I don’t understand your questions, why it matters whether we “live” (supposing full time) or whether we simply own property (without a house I presume) within the town limit or historic district (zoning issues? — not explained in this survey). Property owners are property owners and should have equal status whether they live within the town limits full time, part-time or simply own property. As one property and home owner in the historic district who will be directly impacted by this proposed ordinance, and affected by an adjacent property owner where chickens were illegally allowed for seven months and will no doubt be affected if an ordinance is allowed, we are against this wholeheartedly. There is an abundance of rural land in Northampton County where farms and associated animals are allowed. The founding fathers purposely made accommodations to not allow such activities within the Town of Cape Charles for those seeking an oasis from farm activity as evidenced by the current zoning ordinance. We the people of this town chose to live in a “TOWN” and not on or next to a farm and being exposed to farm animals and farm activities. Please keep Cape Charles a TOWN and don’t turn it into a FARM! What will you be asked to consider next — pigs and then goats? Please, no chickens!

13. Houses in Cape Charles are built on small lots. The noise and smell of chickens cannot be buffered. Even hens make noise. In many cases houses in town are very close together limiting air flow. People cannot be trusted to properly keep the chicken pens clean. If they don’t the town would do nothing about it. We have ordinances now covering building maintenance and trash that are not enforced. One cannot expect any different if chickens were allowed.

14. I am strongly opposed to the maintenance of chickens within the historic district where I own my home. I believe the chickens pose both a health and noise problem. Additionally, I think livestock in town is inconsistent with the overall peace and enjoyment of living in a residential historic town.

15. This is a community with many vacation rentals, second homeowners, and fulltime residents with very close proximity from house to house, especially within the town limits. We have enough challenges with owners’ lack of responsibility with dogs and other pets. We have a significant population of feral cats in town. I do not think the potential “hobby” benefit of a small group that wishes to partake in the latest “fad” outweighs the potential (and probable) negative impact for others. If you are renting a beach house for a week, do you really want to be next door to farm animals? Not the right environment. Nothing against chickens or fresh eggs. It’s usually the negligent owners cause issues. We already hear the neighbor’s dogs constantly barking, running loose and their fecal matter on our property. We have feral cats invading our deck and backyard. While chickens are relatively quiet (I grew up on a farm) they do require proper housing and husbandry to keep odor away from close neighbors. Please — not another animal to deal with. Thank you!