STUART — Permission to have backyard chickens behind single-family homes and duplexes may soon be granted to homeowners here.
The city’s Community Redevelopment Board on May 5 voted 5-2 in favor recommending the City Commission approve the idea. It would give homeowners permission to have up to four chickens.
“I’m going to be really honest here,” Board Member Bonnie Moser said. “I have chickens in my backyard.”
She got them about 18 months ago, she said, with the permission of all of her neighbors.
Backyard chickens were approved by the City Commission in June 2017, but two weeks later a commissioner backtracked his “yes” vote, killing the deal that had passed 3-2.
“My 2-year-old son loves them,” Moser added. “We eat the eggs every day.”
The chickens are fed with the family’s food scraps, and the manure fertilizes her vegetable garden, she said.
Moser suggested two changes to the proposed ordinance. One, that allows the height of the coop to be increased to 7 feet and the other that allows the height of the required fence or hedge to be reduced to 5 feet. The Community Redevelopment Board also recommended the City Commission approve those changes.
Noise and smell
Concerns about noise are overstated, Moser continued. The chickens really make noise only when they’re laying eggs, which happens in the morning or midday.
“It’s a couple of clucks and then it goes away,” she said. “As long as they’re not being attacked by anything, they’re not making noise.”
The crows and dogs on her street make more noise than the chickens, Moser said.
Smell is another concern people have about allowing chickens behind homes, which Moser also addressed.
It’s only four chickens or less, she said.
Additionally, allowing chickens can be a great educational opportunity for children, Moser said, because children think food comes from the grocery store.
“So, cat’s out of the bag,” Moser said. “I’ve got chickens. Come and get them if you want them. But know that my 2-year-old would be very sad because the highlight of his day is going out there to collect eggs every day.”
Opposition to the idea
Board Chair Frank McChrystal and Board Member Frederick James opposed the idea.
“This will just lead us to a slippery slope,” James said. “If we allow chickens, why not allow pigs?”
Martin County got it right by prohibiting chickens, McChrystal said. He polled his neighbors, who said, “They’re bringing that up again?”
McChrystal said no more about why he opposed the idea.
The fee to have chickens would be $65 annually, Stuart Development Director Jodi Kugler said.
Keith Burbank is a watchdog reporter for TCPalm, usually covering Martin County. He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Backyard chickens may soon be allowed in this Florida city
Reporting by Keith Burbank, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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