Over concerns raised by Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds, Bethlehem City Council last night unanimously voted to lift its current ban on back yard chickens. Before this becomes law, however, City Council will have to vote again on the measure.
The proposed ordinance (you can read it here) permits residential homeowners to keep chickens for noncommercial use on their property after getting a permit from the animal control officer. Plans must be submitted showing floor plans for a chicken coop and chicken run.
Only 40 permits will be issued in the first year, after which City Council will review the program and determine whether it has been successful.
No roosters will be permitted.
Council member Paige Van Wirt, who proposed the ordinance, said her motivation was the pandemic, which showed us that we suffer "for reliance on systems that our fragile." Council member Hillary Kwiatek, who also sponsored the measure, stated that this was an issue she had been discussing two years ago.
There was support from members of the public at City Hall. Local resident and prominent realtor Lucy Lennon, who is also an animal lover, dismissed concerns about smell, noise and disease/
Lennon told Council that chickens are as clean as any other animal, and odors associated poultry are the result of irresponsible owners. She indicated that a chicken's noise is at 40 decibels, while a golden retriever's bark is 115 decibels. She noted that, worldwide, 455 people have died of avian flu since 2008, not one of them from the US. In the same time frame, 403 people died falling out of bed.
Kelly Allen, a Professor of Food Studies, observed that six diseases are associated with poultry, compared to 16 for cats and 18 for dogs.
Mayor Willie Reynolds wanted to put the brakes on the ordinance. He stated that it was "unprecedented" for a City Council to vote on an ordinance after the administration requests a committee hearing, and he had asked for one. He said he was "disappointed and a little bit shocked" that City Council would take action when his administration sought a committee hearing. He warned against rushing.
Van Wirt told the Mayor that she received his request for a committee hearing just six days before the scheduled vote. She added it was a measure she had been working on since February, and Reynolds could have sought a hearing far sooner.
Reynolds, who eventually had to be stopped by Council President Michael Colon, insisted several times that there should be a committee hearing so that his Department of Health, the police and other citizens could present their concerns.
"I have found out all the details," stated Van Virt.
Laura Collins, Bethlehem's Department of Community and Economic Development Director, read into the record a letter from the city's Board of Health, opposed to the ordinance as drafted, raising the specter of salmonella. And a Deputy Police Chief said officers would have difficulties enforcing the ordinance.
Neither Easton nor Allentown, two of the Lehigh Valley's three cities, permits chickens.
In other news, Hotel Bethlehem principal Bruce Haines wants the Historic Hotel Bethlehem to continue its USA Today rating as the top historic hotel in the U.S. Voting for that coveted title goes on until August 15, and Haines said everyone can vote once a day for Hotel Bethlehem at votehotelb.com. He added you can cast a vote on every device, too.
"This sounds like real life voter fraud," wisecracked Mayor Reynolds.
35 comments:
So, Reynolds took lessons from McClure. Same result.
As to chickens, so this is a big agenda item form the new liberal elite rulers of Bethlehem. This will be a disaster. It's been pushed in the past. These fine officials see expensive pure bred fancy chickens in their futures. What you will get is filth and vermin. Unkept pens and with the scaled down city force no real enforcement of this stupid, stupid idea. OH, and there will be roosters, you can count on it. They can't keep unlicensed and unsafe ATVs off the city streets but this they will manage. Not surprised by the sponsors. Two transplants with silly visions.
I guess birdbrain would be the best way to characterize it. The thoughtful leaders of the past are spinning in their graves. Cock-a doodle-doo!!!
It is yet another indication of the out of touch and out of reality today's society, when you need a permit to have chickens, but can have unlimited cats and dogs, both in your house and yard.
In the not too distant past, chickens were in many backyards, gardens were in most. Chicken manure is the best fertilizer for gardens. Real environmentalists and real organic food. All locally grown and as fresh as it can be.
I believe you have to credit the spanish speaking residents for the real move to more sustainable life.
And no roosters, so you don't think you should grow your own flock, male discrimination again. You cant have chickens without roosters. The residents should just get more chickens and the tell the bureaucrats to F off.
This is terrific news for that dizzy bitch Amy Zanelli - aka the chicken lady.
Especially since she’s an empty nester herself since her lady friend dropped her like the bad habit she it!!!
#RoostersMatter!
Bernie, willie reynolds - I can't think of anything polite enough for you to print.
As they say at the CDC, “If you are a chicken you are already a pandemic.” (Michael Osterholm, Ph.D., “The Deadliest Enemy” 2017) Chickens are THE prime candidate for carrying an influenza virus that mutates to allow transmission to humans, then leading to human-to-human transmission. It is stunning and that a public official who is a medical doctor would make such a superfluous novelty proposal as a feel good relief reaction to a deadly world-wide influenza-like pandemic. The City should not entrust holding the front line of public health safety to residents and their chickens.
This could have waited for the committee hearing sought by Reynolds. His health department and police have reservations and they should be heard. Van Wirt's claim that she already has all the details is a bit presumptuous on her part. I recognize Van Wirt is herself a physician, but the City DOH should be heard. You can't say out of one side of your mouth that we should follow mask and vaccine recommendations from health departments and then ignore them on another public health matter bc it is the woke thing to do. I tend to think this is actually a good idea, but is one that could have waited for a little more vetting. Van Wirt does not have all the answers, and the proof of that is her claim that she does.
I have a nice corner lot and I am now in my eighties. I think I should be allowed to have a goat so it could eat my grass and I wouldn't have to mow my lawn anymore. Think about it. No more noise pollution or gas emissions. Do I need a permit for the goat? How about a cow. I could provide manure and give milk to my neighbors free. After all the cow would be keeping my yard mowed and I wouldn't have to pollute the air with a gas operated lawn mower. I would even loan them my cow to help with their lawns. I promise I won't buy a bull. C'mon, let your mind go on this one. We should all do our part to control global warming and this could be the start. Remember, this is no bull.
Will consideration be given to the predictable neighborhood nuisance disputes? Chickens will not be welcome to every neighborhood. Raising chickens is not an accepted tolerated Bethlehem neighborhood tradition. "Low decibel" chickens still add unwelcome unexpected noise to the neighborhood. I would not want the odor of chicken---- overhanging my backyard cookout on a summer evening. Residents will come to council complaining about their neighbor with the noisy smelly chickens. Council will punt to the mayor. The Health Bureau will say everything seems to be in compliance - nothing we can do - tell the resident to file a nuisance case with the magistrate. Fostering hostile unnecessary disputes among neighbors is not good business for the city.
You have a good point, but whenever you have neighbors, you are going to have issues. Last night, a woman complained to council about neighbors who are too noisy and rev their cars. But there is no ban on cars.
Ok, enough, lets regulate the stinking dogs and cats. there is enough of them in the city to feed a third world city and they would be glad for them. Goats are good too, they would save on gas and cut carbon emissions. That is the priority, right!.
Not only that, the muslim community would not have to waste gas going to the Amish area to buy their goats. Again, organic home grown, recycling that mowed grass that city demands be kept no more than 3" tall.
I think the city is finally moving in the right direction with organic sustainable agriculture right at home.
People should get up and get their shit done early anyway. Roosters know when everybody should be getting moving.
Most annoying quality of life noises in my township neighborhood are chickens and Harley Davidsons. Harleys are 100 times more obnoxious, however. I often wonder what happened to Harley riders that they are so attention starved they ride on the loudest thing known to man. "Notice me daddy!" Good grief. What immature, inconsiderate asses.
I think its a mistake. The need for residents to have chickens is extremely low compared to the burden placed on City staff and on other residents who will suffer from the inevitable issues with chickens:
1. smell
2. noise
3. they get loose constantly and are hard to catch
4. attraction of predators drawn by chickens and their food (snakes, rats, fox, raptors etc.)
The above issues can be tolerated in rural areas, but residents of Bethlehem would be better off just buying eggs at the many nearby grocery stores. I predict lots of headaches and frustration for the staff who enforce the chicken regulations and for the elected officials who will have to deal with complaints once residents neighbors get chickens.
Oh Little Town is screwed. Apartments on every corner, traffic, and now freaking chickens. I hope the neighbors of Paige and super lib Hilary get some cluckers.
"Raising chickens is not an accepted tolerated Bethlehem neighborhood tradition."
There is literally a neighborhood in Hanover Township called Chickentown.
Bethlehem has a limit for domestic animals, it is 6. Otherwise need special permit.
Um, do you know why Harley's are loud? Never drove a motorcycle. Don't know how. Ain't starting now.
Surprised that Van Wirt would propose such a dumb idea as she is usually more responsible. Perhaps super lib Hillary has energized her dark side. This is a really bad idea & unenforceable ordinance.
Surprised the Food coop leaders weren’t there to object along with local farmers whose product they are supposed to champion.
Perhaps acreage expectations for application could be set which might help some of the concerns mentioned. I personally would think half acre would help with the concerns. Personally believe chickens should be allowed with guidelines. We need in these times to be more self sufficient and it's frustrating that we can't have chickens to help!!
Slippery slope. Pigeons are next. Then friggin pigs in a pen in the back yard.Ham has become too expensive. Let me raise a hog. No livestock in a city!
It is obvious to me that very few of the commentators have ever been to the south side where there are at least a few dozen residences that have chickens in the back yard and quite a few areas where there are feral chickens living in the trees and woods around the 12, 13, 14 15 and 1600 blks. of 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Sts. Has been going on for at least 40 years that I'm aware of and I'm sure for at least a hundred years prior to that...
The question may be, "Why were chickens and other farm animals banned from residential neighborhoods in the first place?"
My guess is for the reasons many have posted. If there weren't problems back in the day, they wouldn't have been banned.
Personally, I wouldn't consider buying a home, if a neighbor had chickens.
Is there really a shortage of eggs that we need self sufficiency? I don’t think this self sufficiency applies when local farmers & food system is robust with products made in America. Not to mention undercutting their own food-coop boondoggle in Bethlehem.
These same people arguing for self sufficiency are the same ones ending our energy self sufficiency with their anti fossil fuel crusade.
They also attract opossums. As well as other wild life. Especially in row homes it’s a night mare. All the bugs as well. Another question is will people that rent have the same privilege as home owners? I think that should be considered. So landlords will need to add that into their leases.
@9:35pm, they can't do a minimum lot size of a half acre or even a quarter acre for this because the wokesters will complain this is discriminatory and only allows the rich white people on the far north side to have chickens.
I have seen a city outside of PA instead require that no chickens be kept within 80 feet of any other residence unless the owners/occupants of that residence sign off on a statement that they are OK with it. So if someone wants backyard chickens in a southside rowhouse, and all 4+ neighbors within 80 feet won't sign off on it, it's a no-go.
Ditto. The car revers are just as bad. Cars go vrooooom. Losers.
Good point. I like your idea!
Bernie but in Florida you can now be fined for reving your engine.
What’s next , can we have cows in the back yard …. Free milk and beef ! Lol
They'll be doing the chicken dance at Musikfest for sure this year. 🐓
Went to college with a guy from Montana who told me he never ate a steak or burger that he didn't know on a first name basis and wasn't raised on his front lawn for 4-H. Montana's a pretty big town, though.
Yeah, you can't slaughter and butcher the chickens. They are only being allowed for eggs.
The interesting thing is these council member talk as if eggs are in short supply to justify this action. The only way American agriculture system fails to provide abundance of product is these same “greenies” banning synthetic fertilizers.
They are there own worst nightmare!!
So, what happens to the chickens when they stop laying eggs? Chickens eat year-round and don't always lay that consistently. I fear they will be in small coops covered with fleas other vermin and poop. I like chickens both as food and as pets. However, caring for them in outdoor coops gets a little wearing when snows come and most of the shelters are too flimsy to provide warmth needed and water containers freeze fast. And please wash your hands after handling chickens or eggs as even the most "organic" can carry salmonella or other diseases.
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