Public hearing on chickens tonight

ONEIDA, N.Y. » The City of Oneida Common Council is holding a public hearing to discuss the place of chickens in the city.

Member s of Common Council have been approached by citizens wishing to raise chickens in the city’s inner district. Residents of the outer district are currently able to harbor and raise chickens.

Ward 2 Councilor Michael Bowe said at the last Common Council meeting that it’s important to get the opinion of the city before going through with anything, and a public hearing was scheduled for the next Common Council meeting on Aug. 7 at 6:30 p.m.

The City of Oneida has a draft of a possible local law relating to the harboring of chickens, but it is only a working draft. It has not been received by the council and is subject to change.

The draft of the local law currently states “...The City of Oneida recognizes that the keeping chickens can be a safe, productive, non-disruptive practice, provided that such animals are properly cared for in a clean, structurally sound environment, kept in appropriate numbers, maintained

at a reasonable noise level, with food sources properly contained and managed to avoid odors or the attraction of wildlife or vermin.”

The draft also states that no house will posses more than six chickens per parcel of land, no roosters shall be allowed, and anyone wishing to house chickens must get the written consent of all neighboring property owners and tenants.

The city of Oneida invites all residents with questions or concerns to attend the public hearing.