Here are some of the restrictions Belleville will consider in its backyard chicken plan
Three Belleville City Council members agreed a proposal to allow residents to keep backyard chickens should be put on the ballot for a citywide vote but the plan was blocked.
Instead, the Ordinance and Legal Review Committee voted 6-1 Tuesday night to ask the city attorney to draft an ordinance for the committee to consider next month. This ordinance would establish the regulations people would have to follow if they want to legally raise chickens in the city.
If the committee approves the draft ordinance in August, the full, 16-member council could vote on the plan in September.
“One step at a time, we’re moving forward, you know,” said Andrew Tufto after the meeting. He’s one of the residents leading the effort to allow residents to raise chickens in their backyards.
Last month, the Public Health and Housing Committee supported the backyard chicken proposal and forwarded the plan to the Ordinance and Legal Review Committee. In 2015, the housing committee rejected a request.
Swansea approved an ordinance for backyard chickens in 2016. Chickens also are allowed in Collinsville, Edwardsville and Shiloh. In Madison County, residents can seek permission from the zoning board to keep chickens in neighborhoods. In St. Clair County and O’Fallon, chickens are not allowed in residential neighborhoods but they are allowed in rural residential and agricultural areas.
Belleville resident Steve Meister suggested the ordinance committee members ask the full council to put the “important” question on the ballot in Belleville.
“To me something like this should be put on the ballot. When the election comes around, put yes or no,” he said.
Ward 7 Alderman Phil Elmore concurred.
“Let everybody vote, I don’t see what’s the harm in that,” he told the committee. “I think this is a lifestyle issue and as a lifestyle issue, everyone that lives in Belleville should have a fair voice and what’s more fair than a citywide election.”
Elmore’s motion for a nonbinding referendum on the issue was defeated, 4-3.
Elmore and Ward 2 Alderwoman Carmen Duco and Ward 3 Alderman Kent Randle voted in support of a referendum. Voting against it were Ward 1 Alderman Bryan Whitaker, Ward 5 Alderwoman Shelly Schaefer, Ward 6 Alderwoman Mary Stiehl and Ward 8 Alderwoman Kara Osthoff.
If the advisory referendum request had advanced to the full council and was approved, the earliest it could be placed on a ballot would be for the March primary, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
On the motion to ask for a draft ordinance to be written, Randle cast the lone “no” vote.
Here are highlights of the requirements that the housing committee suggested for the draft ordinance:
Fifty permits would be issued but Scott Tyler, director of the city’s housing department, said this number could be increased.
Residents could have a maximum of six female chickens, or hens.
Roosters, known for their loud, early morning calls, would not be allowed.
Only residents in owner-occupied homes would be allowed to get a permit.
No commercial egg sales would be allowed in homes.
Homes would be inspected each year.
The annual fee would be $25.
Residents would not be allowed to butcher chickens in their homes.
Chicken ordinance debate
Beverly Meister told the ordinance committee members they should not approve the backyard chicken proposal because chickens belong “in the country.” She said her daughter lives on a farm and she can smell the manure from chickens being raised by her neighbors.
“And when this weather gets to be 100 degrees, the odor is not good,” said Meister, whose husband suggested the referendum plan.
A website called Chickens and Chicks Info has details about backyard chickens and suggests people clean chicken coops every week to control the smell.
Louis Holm, who wants the city to allow backyard chickens, told the ordinance committee that the waste produced by a chicken is less than a single dog and dog owners don’t have to pay to have a permit each year.
Megan McCarron also spoke in favor of the backyard chicken request.
“I’m a nurse,” she said. “I have a child. I have zero health concerns about my capabilities as a responsible adult and parent to keep my child safe from any chicken diseases.”
Tufto gave the committee several pages with what he said had about 500 signatures of people who support the proposal to allow people to keep chickens.
Tufto said there are people in Belleville who currently have chickens and that hasn’t heard of any problems.
“We would like regulations, just not an all-out ban,” he told the committee.
Also, the supporters have created a Facebook page called Belleville, IL Backyard Chickens. It has over 500 members.
