Coming home to roost?

The subject of urban chickens entered into conversation at Pine Haven’s monthly workshop at the request of a municipal resident.

While no decisions were made at last Tuesday’s discussion, “We need to decide, as a council,” Mayor Karla Brandenburg directed the group, “how we’re going to handle the chicken issue and where are we going to go forward with it.”

The governing body did not go into any details about the possibility of raising chickens within town limits. Rather, the suggestion of a public meeting to get a better idea of the wishes of said community was put forth by the mayor, “giving everyone a chance to speak at that time in an organized fashion”.

Councilwoman Emily Smith expressed that, “People need the opportunity to be heard and we can’t do that here. It’s too small and it’s not the correct venue, but I totally agree with a public meeting up at the center.”

Brandenburg spoke to an unapproved ordinance that would allow chickens within the township, which had recently been brought to her attention, saying, “Obviously, we’ll need ordinances… [But] this is not the one we’ll go by; we will make an ordinance that fits a whole lot better.”

The keeping of chickens in urban settings is not a new concept; historically, WWII national agricultural ads were commonly seen in newspapers, advising households to raise their own gardens and chickens to help themselves during challenging times.

With the price of eggs and meat on the rise once again throughout the nation, Pine Haven is just one of many towns facing this question of municipal sanitation as opposed to residential economic welfare.

Town residents are encouraged to attend this public meeting taking place at the community center on Tuesday, March 7, at 7 p.m. The mayor advises patience, though, saying, “This is going to be a long process.”

Imorio, se publice quemnius, vivatuid pordienam inpraridi populos ena, nocrit demori sendeste