“We’re very excited that you have considered this issue and drafted an ordinance you’re voting on tonight,” said Darling. In addition to providing eggs, hens eat weeds, table scraps and insects, including ticks, they said. Two Havertown teens and wannabe hen keepers, Sammy Darling and Anne McCammon, presented a petition in June signed by 380 residents supporting backyard chickens. “Nobody is tearing down somebody’s coop and getting rid of their chickens,” Holmes said. Hens are no different than any other outdoor pet, he argued.Ĭommissioner Larry Holmes indicated that regardless of the final outcome, Bates would be permitted to keep his hens. Bates said the hens provide fresh eggs, in addition to educational opportunities and enjoyment for his family and neighbors. The current 1-acre requirement excludes a majority of Haverford residents, supporters said.Īdditionally, a prior setback requirement for chicken coops and pens was reduced to 20 feet from any dwelling or property line.įurther provisions retain a prohibition on roosters established in 2013, and include measures concerning noise and odor control, cleanliness, and waste removal.Ĭommissioners deleted a provision in the original draft that would have allowed exceptions from a 25-foot setback with written agreement from adjacent property owners after Commissioner William Wechsler pointed to potential legal issues.īates had appealed to commissioners after receiving a fine and citation in June calling for him to remove a flock of seven hens from his one-third acre property. Highlights of the ordinance allow residents to maintain up to four chickens “as pets for the non-commercial production of eggs” on properties smaller than an acre. 2 work session, before a second and final reading on Oct. Those in favor of moving forward said the matter would be taken up again at the Oct. The vote followed lengthy debate and an unsuccessful attempt to table due to revisions commissioners made during the course of discussion. The board voted 6-2 in favor of amending animal regulations to allow up to four hens on properties less than 1 acre, subject to additional regulations. Haverford > Backyard chicken enthusiasts had something to crow about after commissioners took the first step last week toward legalizing backyard hen keeping township-wide.
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