EASTON, Pa. — A brood of supporters congregated at Easton’s City Hall in an effort to promote an ordinance allowing for backyard chickens Tuesday night.
Led by Carol Free, Easton’s “Chicken Lady” who has been at the forefront of the fight for small flocks in the city, numerous community members came together that evening in an attempt to move forward the mission for backyard chickens.
- Easton's "Chicken Lady," Carol Free, addressed the city council on a pilot program to allow backyard chickens in the city on Tuesday night
- Several board members, Mayor Sal Panto Jr., and Health Administrator Joe Gill raised concerns over several issues, including diseases, ordinance enforcement and the community's lack of outcry on the issue
- A final decision on the matter is yet to come, though Free has said she will continue to encourage the council to give the proposal a try in lieu of dismissing it outright
Free opened up her speaking time noting a discussion she had with Robert Lagonera, an animal control officer in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, who believed Free’s proposed program allowing for four hens was completely possible in Easton.
“And he said, ‘Chickens are close to my heart,’" Free said. "He said he wrote 15 strict ordinances in New Jersey for Whitehall Township… Phillipsburg, [and] Washington Borough to allow chickens there."
“They based it on property size, about an eighth of an acre, and distance from the neighbors. And then he said the animal control officer and the zoning officer are responsible for enforcement. And he said but not a single person has ever complained about the chickens in our city.”
Free proceeded to dispel what she considers misinformation about chicken ownership, topics that later were brought up again by council members and Health Administrator Joe Gill.
I'm just feeling that we need to be a little bit more progressive in Easton. Instead of looking at all the bad things, why don't we give it a shot? Let's see how it goes. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.Carol Free, Easton's "Chicken Lady"
“I think a lot of people around here, you say the word ‘chickens,’ and they think that we're going to have a chicken farm, or, you know, there's going to be chicken dust and dirt and salmonella, and this and that," Free said.
"And these are all myths."
Free emphasized that chickens are quieter and less dangerous than other domestic pets such as dogs, and are relatively easy to keep in good health.
As long as the owners are responsible and coops are kept clean, salmonella and avian influenza are exceedingly rare issues, she said.
'No outcry' for chickens in Easton
Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. challenged Free on the public’s desire for backyard chickens, claiming a hearing held about two years ago only drew her to speak on the matter.
“There's no outcry to have this,” Panto said. “I don't know why we would want it. I mean, very frankly, that night, parking was the issue. You were the only one that spoke about chickens, so I don't see an outcry for chickens, backyard chickens.”
Free said her Facebook page in support of chickens in Easton has about 163 members, which proves there is at least some interest in the idea, though she added, “That’s not the issue.”
“The issue is that we should be allowed to have chickens,” Free said. “If we can have dogs, cats, turtles, snakes, everything else, why not chickens?"
"Chickens produce a lot less noise and waste than dogs do, a lot less health risks — dogs bite you. Chickens, they're going to be maintained. And not everybody's going to run out and get chickens tomorrow.”
Toward the end of Free’s part of the meeting, Panto conducted an impromptu poll, asking who in the audience was present in support of backyard chickens, and who was against it.
A handful of individuals raised their hands in support of the birds, while only Gill opposed the concept.
Questions on space and safety
When Councilman David O’Connell raised concerns about the amount of space needed to keep chickens, Free responded they only require little space for a coop and a run.
Gill also raised concerns about the potential for chickens to spread diseases such as West Nile virus, certain types of fungus and other conditions if they are poorly kept.
He said chickens potentially could attract predators to the metropolitan area, creating further problems. Beyond that, Gill said, numerous resources would be needed to establish licensing, registration, inspections and other measures to ensure the safety of both chickens and residents.
It is my professional opinion that it is contrary to the health, safety, and welfare of the city of Easton to permit chickens to be raised within most areas of the city."Easton Health Administrator Joe Gill
Stephen Nowroski, Easton’s director of planning and codes, also said that an infrastructure for codes, enforcement and penalties would be needed if the program were to go into effect.
“It is my professional opinion that it is contrary to the health, safety, and welfare of the city of Easton to permit chickens to be raised within most areas of the city," Gill said.
"The potential sites would need to be large tracts of land with sufficient setbacks from adjoining properties to protect from negative effects."
In reply, Free stated her pilot program would not be an agricultural operation, where many of those issues tend to appear.
Several councilmembers appeared to be at least somewhat receptive, though apprehensive, to adopt Free’s suggested program, but made no decision.
Free has encouraged the council to look beyond hypothetical issues that could affect the program and give it a chance, but it remains to be seen if those chickens are coming home to roost.
“I'm just feeling that we need to be a little bit more progressive in Easton," Free said. "Instead of looking at all the bad things, why don't we give it a shot? Let's see how it goes. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.”
