By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

Getting permits to raise chickens on residential properties within the village of Fayetteville may soon be a lot easier if a local law to streamline the permit process is approved by the village board.

David Cassel, a member of the Fayetteville Deer Management Committee, sent a letter and draft proposal to the village board in April requesting it look into creating a streamlined permit process because of the benefits raising poultry can bring to families, including decreasing the presence of ticks, because they are a food source to some poultry.

According to Mayor Mark Olson, about five years ago the village considered banning poultry from the village code due to a complaint from a resident. Currently, a resident must apply for a zone variance to raise chickens, something Cassel said is a daunting task. By adopting this proposal, the village board would create a streamlined way for residents to safely, and with the knowledge of village officials, house a limited number of poultry on residential lots.

A public hearing on the matter was held at the May 23 board of trustees meeting, and the two residents who spoke were in favor of the change. Prior to the meeting, a field trip was taken to two properties in the village of Manlius that currently raise chickens and to Cassel’s home so he could explain what he would do if he were to raise chickens himself.

“I was surprised, it was nice to see how simple it was,” said Olson as a reaction to the field trip.

“I’ve been interested in learning more about raising chickens in the past few years and became more interested when it was discussed it could help the tick situation,” said Fayetteville resident Pamela Bender, who went on the field trip. “I didn’t smell a thing and that’s the thing that hit me the most.”

Under the proposed permit process, a resident looking to raise chickens would have to send a permit request letter to the village, and the number would be limited to 12 female chickens, while roosters would be banned. The trustees are considering putting a permit fee in place and the permit would be revocable by the village board at any time. Cassel suggested the village put certain conditions, such as mandatory poultry care courses or fees to residents who wish to obtain a poultry permit.

Trustees Dan Kinsella, Chris Randall and Mike Small agreed they are not against creating a streamlined permit process to encourage residents to have poultry, but that they want to ensure there are ways to keep properties accountable in case of complaints. Kinsella suggested adopting the permit on a short-term basis to test how it works.

Trustee Dennis Duggleby, however, said he is opposed to the idea of allowing chickens on village lots and believes it could quickly become a problem for village officials.

“I think if we do this we’re opening ‘Pandora’s box,’” said Duggleby. “My experiences with chickens have been different. They do smell and they do produce a lot of waste and are noisy.”

Duggleby suggested limiting the species of chickens to ones that are known to be less noisy, and to create a way for neighbors of residential chickens to be able to make a complaint.

Olson said the village board will refine the proposed document to include a limit on number of chickens and a permit fee, and will likely vote on it at the next board meeting, 6 p.m. on Monday, June 13.