Williamstown’s newest ordinance brings a whole new meaning to the question, “Why did the chicken cross the road?”
In an effort to stay up-to-date with one of the latest trends, Monroe Township Council passed a backyard chicken pilot program ordinance on second reading at its May 28 meeting. This pilot program will allow 25 residents to apply for licensure to keep up to six hens in their backyards at a given time. This program is something that has been in the works since 2015, according to chair of Sustainable Monroe Patrick McDevitt. When the new members of council were sworn in this past January, he felt like it was time to try again.
“With their help and support, we were able to pass the ordinance which is a two-year pilot program,” McDevitt said. “Troy Sterling is one of the very active residents and he’ll be serving on the advisory board with a few other people. He’s been a big proponent of this as well.”
The first step in acquiring a license is to attend an introduction class that will be held on June 23 at the Pfeiffer Community Center from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Before the class, send an email to Gwenne Baile at gbaile@verizon.net and copy sustainablemonroe@gmail.com. From there, it is recommended an interested resident should be at the Pfeiffer Center by 12:30 for registration. McDevitt said certificates will be distributed at the end of class that are required to apply for a license. There is a license fee of $10.
According to the ordinance, the chicken housing requirements are as follows: a coop shall be the appropriate size for the amount of chickens, at least three feet by three feet with a maximum of 10 feet by 10 feet. The coop will be inspected by the backyard chicken advisory board prior to receiving a license. The coop needs to be enclosed and predator proof while being at least 20 feet from the habitable portion of the neighboring residence and five feet from property lines. Structures like garages and sheds are not considered a “residential dwelling” according to the ordinance.
The backyard chicken advisory board will police everything involving backyard chicken activity. It will provide education, do site visits and make sure everybody is in compliance with the criteria in the ordinance. If a complaint comes in, the backyard chicken advisory board will answer, not the zoning office. McDevitt believes having the advisory board answer the call will give it an opportunity to provide education to help resolve the issue.
A maximum of 25 licenses are up for grabs. When hearing feedback from other towns, McDevitt believes on average only 20 licenses are given out. He’s expecting Monroe Township to continue the trend of leaving licenses on the table.
With the backyard chicken pilot off the ground, residents can practice more sustainable actions, which bodes well for Sustainable Monroe Township and its effort to earn silver certification. McDevitt said this is considered an innovative action and his group can receive points for it.
McDevitt listed food sovereignty as one of the key reasons this program can be successful. With the ever-growing desire to buy free-range eggs and keep everything as natural as possible, nothing beats picking an egg out of your own backyard.
“They make excellent pets,” he added. “They’re a great addition to home, garden and any sustainable action you’re already doing.”
The backyard chicken pilot program is only a two-year program, which means it will be evaluated in 2021. If there are no issues, it will become a permanent ordinance with the possibility of having more licenses.
For more information on the backyard chicken pilot program, visit Sustainable Monroe Township’s Facebook page.
