By Hayleigh Gowans
Staff Writer
Residents in Fayetteville may soon be able to house chickens on their properties if a permit that will formalize the process of owning poultry is passed by the Fayetteville Village Board. This draft permit will be discussed by the village board at the next meeting and they are seeking public input on the it.
At the Aug. 15 meeting of the village board, a draft permit application was presented to the trustees. Mayor Mark Olson said this second draft is the result of review by the board from a previous draft that was created in June.
Some stipulations of the permit include: all poultry should be kept outside of the dwelling in an enclosure that includes a coop made of solid material and pen/run; the coop must have roosting bard, adequate area per animal, access to water and be constructed and maintained in a workmanlike manner comparable to that of accessory structures; the enclosure must remain clean, dry and odor-free; and all manure must be disposed of in a proper manner as to not constitute a nuisance, safety or health problem.
Those wishing to obtain a poultry permit must appear in front of the board of trustees, who will approve or deny the request. The one-time permit cost for six or fewer female chickens is $50 and for 12 or fewer chickens is $100. No roosters will be allowed and the board of trustees has the right to revoke a permit at any time.
According to Olson, about five years ago the village considered banning poultry from the village code due to a complaint from a resident.
In May 2016, David Cassel, a member of the Fayetteville Deer Committee, submitted a proposal to the village board to consider adopting a permit system that would allow residents to keep poultry on their property. While raising chickens can be beneficial as a food source, Cassel said they could also help control the number of ticks in the area.
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 will 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, where two members of the public spoke in favor of the proposed poultry permit process and Trustee Dennis Duggleby voiced concerns about the ability of the village board to be able to revoke permits if a resident is not keeping their chickens clean and quiet.
To get more information about the draft of the poultry permit, contact the village clerk at 637-9864. The matter will be discussed and possibly voted on at the next village board meeting, 6 p.m. on Sept. 12 at 425 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville.
