(12/14) At the December 13 town council meeting, the council strategized on how to handle the upcoming public hearing on in-town chicken ownership and the path forward on what happens after the vote.
Commissioner at Crum inquired as to the timing of the pubic hearing – e.g., would it take place before or after the January 10th meeting.
Burgess Barnes said that since the subject has been brought up at prior meeting, it should be considered ‘unfinished business’ and the Pubic Workshop should take place during that portion of the regular town meeting. Barnes’s recommendation was unanimously agreed upon by the other commissioners.
Barnes said he had no idea how many people would show up for the hearing –"we could have no one, or it could be like Middletown, where hundreds of people showed up, with a lot of kids carrying their pet chickens."
Each resident wishing to speak, for or against the proposed change to the town ordnance prohibiting the ownership of chickens within town limits, "will be given three minutes to state their desires. Barnes said. "Upon completion of input from the residents, the town council will then debate the issue between themselves and vote on the matter.
"If the council votes to approve chickens within town limits, the matter will then be sent to the Planning and Zoning commission where the actual rules governing the owning of chickens within town limits will be drawn up. Items like the number of chickens permitted per property, the permitting of roosters, setback requirements for chicken coops form adjoining property lines will be addressed.
"Chicken ordnances in other municipalities often cite certain square foot lot sizes and distancing requirements, which may be tricky with Woodsboro’s limited lot sizes," Barnes said.
"If the Council votes yes, the town would reach out to other municipalities in consideration of their regulations and guidelines on chicken ownership and then build Woodsboro’s from there."
"If the council votes no, then the issue ends there." Barnes said.
"If the council does decide to deny ownership of chickens within the town, how soon can a proponent of chicken ownership petition the council to re-look at the matter again" asked Commissioner Crum.
"To be honest," Barnes said, there is no time limit on someone asking us to rethink the decision, but to realistically get a different outcome would more then likely require a change in the Council’s make up."
The public hearing is a result of requests from several members of the town to allow chickens in town. The Council initially settled for a December public hearing but changed the date to January as to not interfere with holidays and allow notice of the meeting to go out with the town’s water bills.
Woodsboro’s ordinance banning chickens has been in place since the town’s original code conception in the 1970’s.
Meghan Eullano, a proponent of the change, noted a growing desire for self-reliance on eggs, as well as the value in teaching children responsibility by taking care of chickens and enjoying the pleasure of having chickens as pets.
As Woodsboro is a rural, agricultural area, Euliano suggested looking at neighboring municipalities, such as Emmitsburg & Thurmont, and limit ownership to perhaps five or six chickens per property.
Town residents looking to voice opinions on local poultry are encouraged to attend the Town Council’s January 10 meeting.
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