Naperville chickens back on the table
Naperville’s chickens may have won the first round but some city council members now say they want to put the issue of urban fowl back on the table.
Councilman Paul Hinterlong, who was absent from the Oct. 18 council meeting where his peers declined to tighten restrictions on the keeping of chickens and other fowl, chastised his fellow councilmen Tuesday and asked to revisit the issue.
“I watched the video and felt a disservice was done to some residents. I was a little disappointed that just because only two people complained, maybe it’s not a problem,” Hinterlong said. “A taxpayer deserves to be heard whether he comes in here with 200 people behind him or by himself.”
At that October meeting, city staff members proposed changes to local laws that would have installed a $85 permit process, required screening or landscaping to hide chicken coops and changed the original language to require the coops be clean at all times.
Ron and Susan Borghesi, of 198 Rivanna Court, attended the meeting and asked the council to also consider limiting the number of chickens allowed to five, prohibit roosters and require coops be set back at least 50 feet from neighboring homes. Their request was spurred by the 20 chickens kept by their neighbor David Laird.
The Borghesis said they were “disgusted” the council opted not to further regulate the birds because they were the only two people complaining. On Wednesday they thanked Hinterlong for keeping their concerns before the council.
“We’re a city that regulates how big our neighbor’s house can be, how many dogs or cats can live in it and requires cats to be on leashes. And we’re going to allow farm animals, however many we want, to roam in our neighbors’ yards,” Hinterlong said.
“I don’t have a problem with people having chickens. I grew up on a farm so I should be the guy that’s really hands-off on this, but I have to respect property values of these neighbors. There needs to be some things in place so it doesn’t get out of hand.”
Laird was surprised by Hinterlong’s request to bring the conversation back as soon as December.
“I thought the city fathers said it plainly that there doesn’t seem to be an issue here. But I guess people let it work in that direction until they get their way,” Laird said Wednesday. “I don’t know what to tell you. Had the council ruled against me, I would have complied and moved on.”
Laird said his 20 chickens began as a five-chicken 4-H project with his son and grew from there within the past three years. Despite the city not taking any action, Laird said he understands he believes trimming the flock to about 10 chickens is “probably the right thing to do.”
Since the October meeting, Laird has planted four trees and installed lattice work to help shade his coop from his neighbors. He’s also found a home for one chicken and has plans to soon send four more to a good home.
“If I have to get rid of them, I’m not just going to send them someplace to be mistreated or eaten,” he said Wednesday. “I’m going to send them to a good home where they’ll be loved.”
Councilmen Grant Wehrli and Steve Chirico supported Hinterlong’s request to revisit the issue as soon as Dec. 20.