Council to reconsider backyard chicken ban
Urban chicken movement is underway in Pottstown with people owning coops
POTTSTOWN >> With a 4-3 vote, the borough council agreed Monday to take another stab at modifying its animal ordinances to allow the raising of chickens.
The vote happened at a meeting that featured accusations of threats, the Pottstown Borough Authority weighing in, a candidate announcing her intent to run against council President Dan Weand, and one councilman saying he was “ashamed to be a member of council” in the wake of last week’s free-for-all at the work session during which council members all spoke over each other.
A Poultry Proposal
During that March 3 work session, resident Katie Scanlan, who has a backyard chicken coop, gave a presentation to council outlining the benefits of keeping chickens, as well as ways in which chickens could be allowed that would address some of the negative aspects of poultry husbandry.
Currently, Pottstown’s animal ordinance prevents the keeping of “farm animals” in the borough, including cows, pigs, horses and yes, chickens.
It seems that the urban chicken movement is underway in Pottstown and despite the ordinance preventing it, many people already have backyard coops.
Council’s “Ordinance Review Committee” had already rejected any changes to allow chickens and Scanlan appeared before council, virtually, at the invitation of Mayor Stephanie Henrick, to make the case for responsible chicken ownership.
Scanlan said she believes the best approach
would be to create a permit for people to keep chickens. To obtain said permit, anyone looking to take up backyard birdraising would need to show they had taken a class or watched a video to learn the basics.
Additionally, anyone seeking the permit would need to present forms signed by the neighbors saying they do not object to having hens in the neighborhood, under Scanlan’s proposal.
The permit would carry a fee, which could help offset the cost of enforcement, would have to be renewed every three years and could be revoked by the borough at any time, she said.
Her proposal also called for banning roosters because they make too much noise.
Three days after Scanlan spoke to council, she received a citation in the mail for violating the ordinance banning the keeping of farm animals carrying a price tag of $594.65 — a fine of $500 plus court costs. The citation was dated Feb. 11.
The animal ordinance allows the fine for keeping “farm animals” to range from $50 to $600.
Monday’s vote sends the issue back to council’s Ordinance Review Committee, but it is not clear whether any of Scanlan’s proposals will be part of the discussion.
Councilman Ryan Procsal, who voted against making changes and chairs that committee, warned the council members who support the change that they had better come to the committee meeting to make suggestions, “otherwise its just going to be bounced right back” to council.
Councilwomen Trenita Lindsay and Lisa Vanni both said they will do so. It also means the matter is likely to come back to council again.
Procsal said he has been chairman of the Ordinance Review Committee for several years, and pointed out “any time we change an ordinance, it’s not for free. We’re not here to spend money on essentially people’s hobbies,” adding “it’s not good for the gander.”
Also during Wednesday’s work session, Animal Control Officer Jon Daywalt, who recently had to chase 15 to 20 loose chickens at a site off Manatawny Street, advised against allowing chickens, saying they present several animal control problems.
Monday’s vote came only after additional spirited discussion from five public speakers and the council members themselves.
‘I’ve Never Been So Ashamed’
Perhaps most remarkable were non-specific charges made by Vanni and Councilman Joe Kirkland of “bullying” and even threats made, presumably, against pro-chicken council members.
“Now we have people threatening council people. I’m not talking about citizens, I’m talking about government people. That’s ridiculous,” said Kirkland. “You’re threatening people? Over chickens?”
Councilman Michael Paules, who was not at last week’s work session because he now works second shift and it’s harder for him to make meetings, said he was shocked when he saw the video of Wednesday’s work session.
“I’ve never been more ashamed to say I am on borough council after watching that video,” he said. “We’re all grown ups and you can’t always get what you want.”
“Pottstown is five square miles, not five blocks on High Street. You made such a big deal over something so minute. It’s disgusting. I love you all, but I am ashamed of you all,” Paules said.
“Why don’t people get so worked up over Hill School buying properties and taking them off tax rolls? Or street trees ruining sewer pipes, or all the rats and mice and mosquitoes that are going to be attracted by those meadows? Everybody got so worked up over a bunch of chickens,” said Paules.
Similarly, Mayor Henrick thanked people for “being so passionate about chickens. “If people put this much effort into fair funding, our kids would have a better education by now,” she said.
“I hope the whole chicken thing brought to up how people are struggling daily with certain issues, like snow on High Street and broken windows there,” said Vanni. “I hope you got to hear some of those concerns from people you reached out to about chickens.”
Public Comment
Resident Darlene Bainbridge says she supports “responsible and regulated chicken ownership in the borough” and added that if all the problems being forecast develop, the ordinance can be undone.
Robert Hartman Jr., a former Pottstown School Board member, told council “we are not a country town, compared to what it was years ago. I have nothing against people having regular pets, but there are places for everything.”
There are small farms in the area that can provide fresh eggs and would love support from Pottstown residents, Hartman said, adding that chickens attract rats “and other varmints.”
Concern about chickens attracting rats who want their feed was also expressed by Aram Ecker, who spoke on behalf of the Pottstown Borough Authority of which he is vicechairman.
Ecker read a letter signed by himself and Authority Chairman Jeff Chomnuk which declared that “chickens are farm animals. While the idea might seem trendy or nice, this is an urban area with small lots,” Ecker read, noting that the smell and potential chicken waste pollution in stormwater runoff are all negatives.
The authority letter also expressed concern about the likelihood that more backyard chickens would attract foxes and coyotes.
Of ‘Fox Bait’ and Politics
Weand said over the weekend he became aware of a neighbor near Franklin Elementary School who kept chickens and ducks and complained about losing the ducks to foxes.
“We know about foxes. I see them coming over from country club all the time,” said Weand. “Allowing more chickens would be “like fox bait. It would be like putting shark bait at the beach.”
Speaking of Weand, a little extra political flavor was added to the night when Jenifer Green, who ran against Weand in 2017 and lost, announced she will oppose him again in November.
“The papers were filed today,” Green said after speaking out in favor of allowing backyard chickens. “Go team chicken” was how she chose to end her three minutes of comment.
At the end of it all, council member Trenita Lindsay, Kirkland, Vanni and Paules voted in favor of looking again t finding a way to allow chickens. Voting no were Weand, Procsal and Vice Chairman Don Lebedynsky.
“So be it,” was Weand’s reaction to the vote.
“We’re not here to spend money on essentially people’s hobbies.”
— Ryan Procsal, Pottstown Councilman