Believe it or not, zoning for backyard chickens was cause for 20 minutes of deliberations by our city councilmembers in their Tuesday evening Special Meeting.
The issue of urban sustainablity has aparently brought urban chicken zoning to the forefront of several cities across the country. Read about the Missoula, MT story of the couple pictured here.
As one councilmember said, you never know, food may someday get scarce and we'd be smart to plan for sustainable food sources; and living closer to our food sources is desirable. Another councilmember said the eggs are as important as the meat. The Council majority finally concluded chickens would be a neighorhood backyard nuisance and didn't want to change the ordniance.
According to the local Reporter newspaper, the City of Redmond currently allows up to 10 chickens per half acre.
An Ombudsman letter initiated the discussion and decision for a council zoning vote. The same citizen sent the Redmond Blog their letter, but I read it in disbelief. In short, the citizen claimed Seattle allows 3 hens per lot and Bellevue allows 6 chickens per urban lot, so why not Redmond? Hens are quieter than chickens.
Council concluded most residents wouldn't want chickens scratching and cockadoodling in their neighbors backyard and advised NO to a zoning change. Guess it's time to load up on canned meats!
Mayor Marchione is doing a very good job in his first year and a half. Don't you think? Council is now left with "scratching" for issues for their Tuesday night City Hall meetings, for this moment. Thus my coverage is shifting to their Council Committee Meetings - in which it now appears many of their decisions are made. (Further review reveals voting in Committee Meetings are "advisory" only). I am starting to cover Lake Washington School Board Meetings, as well.
by Bob Yoder
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