Ann Arbor Residents Wouldn't Need Neighbor Approval Under New Backyard Chicken Ordinance
ANN ARBOR (WWJ/AP) - Ann Arbor may allow two kinds of permits for backyard chickens, including one in which residents could keep up to two hens without approval from neighbors.
The City Council voted 6-4 Monday to give initial approval to revisions to the city's backyard chicken ordinance, the Ann Arbor News reported.
For 5-year permits, officials say the ordinance would remain essentially the same as it has since 2008, requiring neighbor permission, but the number of hens allowed would increase from four to six.
For people who aren't able to get neighbor permission, there would be a new option of a permit allowing two hens for a one-year period. Final approval of the changes could come Jan. 20.
"My hope is that this will both relieve some of the burden for people who haven't been able to get chickens to keep a very small flock, and also get people to get their neighbors' buy-in to have a longer-term commitment and a larger flock," councilman Chuck Warpehoski told the newspaper.
Opponents, like councilman Jack Eaton, say they are essentially "creating a new problem" by sidestepping neighbor consent.
"When a person buys a house, they're buying into the character of a neighborhood, and they should have some say in continuing that character, including whether or not we're going to have farm animals within their neighborhood," he said.
The city clerk's office has issued 110 5-year permits for backyard chickens since 2008.
Final approval of the ordinance revisions is expected to be discussed Jan. 20.
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