Prospect Heights postpones decision on backyard chicken regulations

The Prospect Heights city council has postponed a decision expected this week on the community’s first regulations on the keeping of backyard chickens and other fowl to a future date.

“It could be as early as the first meeting of January, maybe the second, but you’ll see it and you will know,” Mayor Patrick Ludvigsen told an audience of interested chicken owners at Monday’s council meeting.

He explained the council wanted more time to delve into the details of the controversial ordinance that had been formally received from the recommending planning and zoning board only two weeks earlier.

While the unprecedented rules have been favored by some residents as a protection against the noise and smells of poorly kept chickens, knowledgeable owners of the birds have argued existing anti-nuisance laws should be sufficient without interfering with their responsible practices.

Enforcement of the proposed rules has been suggested for one year after the ordinance is formally approved.