Chicken zoning goes to board

Dogs are bigger nuisance than hens, petitioners claim

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

The Whitefish City-County Planning Board tabled a request by the city to allow the "keeping of chickens" inside the city limits without having to pay $990 for a conditional-use permit.

As proposed, residents could have up to three hens but no roosters, and the animals would be defined as pets, not livestock.

Existing city codes cover issues such as enclosures and cleanliness. Board members, however, raised additional concerns.

Board member Ken Stein said he's raised chickens and "at times it's worse than being next to a pig farm."

He also said a chicken farmer told him a person needs 2-3 chickens per family member to guarantee eggs for breakfast.

Ken Meckel said larger birds can make a lot of noise, "even worse than a dog," and Greg Gunderson noted that neighborhood dogs will climb tall fences to get at chickens.

Chairman Frank Sweeney said the zoning change should be limited to single-family homes on lots, not duplexes and multi-family homes, and Peggy Sue Amelon suggested issuing licenses.

Former city councilor Velvet Phillips-Sullivan has posted a Web-based petition at www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/2078999 to promote the keeping of chickens.

"While on the council, I pressed the planning director and my fellow councilors to pass an ordinance that would allow people to have chickens and thus be more self-sufficient," she said. "In my opinion, the fee would discourage people and keep our community from being more self-sustaining."

By last week, more than 60 people had signed the petition, often with comments.

"I have long been interested in owning laying hens so as to have an easy supply of fresh, organic eggs," Heidi Marcum said. "Now, with the cost of store bought eggs — both local and trucked in, industrial and especially organic — it makes more sense than ever to allow residents of our small, rural-natured town to own a few hens to provide healthy food for our families."

Donnalee Forbes suggested raising the number of chickens allowed to 24 per household, and Linda Blair said the fee was so high, she could buy chickens, which "defeats the purpose."

Pam Gerwe, who runs a farm on Blanchard Lake Road, said the more home "flocks" exist, the fewer chickens she will have to raise.

"During World War II, home gardeners produced 40 percent of the fruits and vegetables consumed in this country," Gerwe said. "Raising three chickens as pets will inspire people to produce more food for themselves. This type of self-reliance should be encouraged in every level of government."

As for being a nuisance, several people suggested barking dogs are worse than chickens.

"I would prefer to see dogs classified as livestock, and my neighbors be fined for their incessant noise," David Elden said. "Chickens are much more useful and should be encouraged."

"Unlike many dogs that bark all night and day, chickens are very quiet," Linda Costain said. "My neighbor has 10 and I don't notice."

Jennifer Elden said she believes "each and every community member has an innate right to grow and produce their own food.

"In fact, with increased food costs and lack of confidence in the nutritional value of mass-produced food, growing our own food locally is one of the most proactive things a person/community can do to ensure health and well-being," she said.

And Donald Clapp wanted the zoning change to include other types of fowl.

"I would add that we should say 'waterfowl' instead of the narrowly-defined 'chickens,' as ducks are just as innocuous and, while it is up for debate, some experts claim that duck eggs are more nutritious than chicken eggs," he said.