LAFAYETTE, IN — A tie-breaker vote Tuesday night allows residents to keep chickens within Lafayette city limits.
But what was spotlighted during the two-hour-long city council meeting, councilwoman Eileen Hession Weiss said, was government at its best.
“You have just witnessed what is my consideration of the best of government, where your local government officials listen to all sides of an issue and have to make a very tough decision,” Hession Weiss said. “And so I hope that you will be kind and considerate to all of us who voted on either side of this, because it was not an easy decision.”
The city council split, with yes votes from council members Kevin Klinker, Steve Snyder, Perry Brown and Hession Weiss, and no votes from council members Jerry Reynolds, Lauren Ahlersmeyer, Melissa Williamson and Bob Downing. Council President Nancy Nargi cast the tie-breaking vote of approval, passing the ordinance.
The council chambers were packed Tuesday with Lafayette residents on both sides of the issue. A large portion of the audience was families bringing their children to voice their support of the ordinance, wishing to having chickens as pets in their own back yards.
The ordinance will allow residents to keep up to five hens on their property, with no allowances for roosters, Lafayette city attorney Jacque Chosnek said. Chickens must be housed in a coop with a pen, with pens kept at least 10 feet away from neighboring property lines and at least 20 feet away from neighboring homes.
The ordinance will not supersede any restrictions by homeowners’ associations or private landlords. After public discussions in July, Chosnek said, the ordinance was amended to include the requirement of a permit, which would come at no cost to the flock owner, and a form of identification for each chicken.
The other revision added is a one-year sunset provision that will allow the ordinance to return before the council on the anniversary of its passing.
Chosnek said the city is working to get the permit application needed to own chickens online, with a targeted date of accepting the applications by Sept. 12.
After voting “yes” during August’s city council meeting, Ahlersmeyer announced she would switch her vote to “no” after her own polling of constituents via Nextdoor.com. Ahlersmeyer said 45 people said they are against the chicken ordinance, while 33 support it.
“So I feel it’s my duty to represent my constituents and those that I heard from, which their response was more against this than for it,” Ahlersmeyer said. “A gentleman spoke earlier that we never hear why you vote the way that you vote. I wanted to be sure to let you know why I will be voting that way.”
The sunset of the ordinance was the tie-breaking decision for some council members to vote “yes,” including Klinker and Brown.
“This is the most 50-50 I have ever been on anything. Maybe if I talk longer …” Klinker said before casting his vote in support. “Because it is still, you know, the same folks have come to me, and a lot of folks here tonight are for it. But my antenna will be up, and if this sunset comes around and we’re hearing a lot of complaints, I will definitely be changing to ‘no.'”
Brown said his vote was still a firm “yes,” but if the one-year sunset comes and issues arose, he would be happy to change his vote. He said his support was in an effort to control the chickens that were already being illegally maintained in the city.
“I understand everyone has voiced their concerns of salmonella and all of that kind of thing, but I haven’t seen salmonella run across the river from West Lafayette,” Brown said. “I figured if West Lafayette can do it, we can do it, too, because it really is that simple.
“We have a one-year sunset on this, to which at that time we will look at this and decide whether we made a mistake or not, but I have to see that this goes forward. It’s not going to be that bad, at least I don’t think so. And if not, I’ll be right here in this seat,” he said. “Y’all come yell at me.”
Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette chicken ordinance passes with tie-breaking vote to allow up to 5 hens
Reporting by Jillian Ellison, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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