Following a summer vote by Belding City Council, most residents still aren’t allowed to raise chickens on their property — but the issue isn’t entirely put to rest.
According to Councilmember Nikolai Zerkle, residents continue to broach the topic online and in-person. Zerkle was one of the two councilmembers who voted to allow the raising of chickens in June, but the measure failed 2-2.
As a result, residents aren’t allowed to keep chickens in most of the city’s residential zones. Zerkle said there was a petition drive in August that aimed to convince officials to continue discussions.
“The question is, how do we mitigate the challenges for residents and any (threats) to other properties or people?” Zerkle said. “It’s a property rights issue. Some people think raising chickens is cheaper for (producing eggs). We’re a rural community.”
Zerkle said he originally voted to allow chickens because many large cities across the country allow it. He understands concerns about the potential danger of bird flu, smells and noise.
“In my opinion, there could be compromises to consider,” Zerkle said. “This issue isn’t going away. We hear about it every few weeks.”
Earlier in the summer, Mayor Jeannine Leary said passing the amendment could set a dangerous precedent that would make it difficult to prevent other livestock from being kept within city limits.
“If you allow chickens, it could be a slippery slope. Perhaps then residents will want to raise goats and (other animals) as well,” Leary said. “We have great neighbors here in Belding, but there may be a few people that would take advantage of (raising chickens) that could cause other issues.”
According to a report from the American Pet Products Association in 2025, there’s been a 28% increase in Americans raising backyard chickens since 2023.
Rebecca Lobinowich, owner of The Art Pile in Belding, has long advocated for the ability to raise chickens within city limits. She believes many people have misconceptions about chickens, and wants to clear them up.
“With proper care, chickens are far less harmful than common practices like using pesticides or maintaining beach areas,” Lobinowich wrote on social media in September 2024.
— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Sentinel-Standard. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@sentinel-standard.com.
This article originally appeared on Ionia Sentinel-Standard: ‘This issue isn’t going away’: Belding said no to chickens, but residents are crying fowl
Reporting by M. Alan Scott / Ionia Sentinel-Standard
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