(8/20) The Carroll Valley Borough Council prevented a resident from leaving August’s meeting in a foul mood. Katlyn Weimer and Adam Colson can keep their four chickens and other residents may soon be able to add fowl to their property.
Weimer and Colson approached the council in July after learning their chickens were illegal. The law of the land in Carroll Valley states chickens must reside in the backyard of a property. That’s not possible for Weimer and Colson, whose house at 8 Fawn Trail aligns with the rear of their half-acre lot.
Just as they had in July, Weimer and Colson’s neighbors pleaded with the council to not force the chickens to fly the borough. Weimer also presented her case on behalf of she and her husband, who was unable to attend.
"Please let the hens remain, they and their owners are a benefit to our neighborhood," Sharon Jankowski said.
Council agreed the chickens should stay. For now, the borough in southwestern Adams County is a sanctuary city for the Weimer and Colson’s birds - they are illegal, but no one plans on doing anything about it.
Council must now alter its laws so the chickens are law-abiding residents of the borough. The governing body cannot just say chickens can live in the front yard of 8 Fawn Trail.
"If you are going to change the rules for these lovely people, then you should change the rules for everybody," Mark Ounan of 25 Valley View Trail noted.
Ounan said he previously desired to have four chickens, but officials responded with a hard "no."
Borough Solicitor Zachary Rice advised the council to rewrite the ordinance. Borough Manager Dave Hazlett agreed, even though he once aimed to avoid chicken-related conversations.
A previous law stated the animals were only allowed on properties zoned for agricultural use. Citizens protested and the council held numerous meetings that included countless hours of discussion on the matter. The hens exited the legislative process as victors, as long as they remained in the backyard.
"I’m still sitting here, and I swore I wouldn’t be sitting here with a chicken conversation going on," Hazlett said in July.
This time, council wants to avoid a long, drawn out process. They directed Councilmember Michael Wight to discuss the topic with the planning commission, which he chairs. The commission will have one meeting to make a recommendation. If it cannot accomplish that goal, Hazlett will draft and ordinance revision and present it to council in September.
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