It seems the TC had their minds made up despite the fact that there was about 20 people present NOT supporting this. Mr. Profeta read "Raising Chicken for Dummies" to gather information to reshape the ordinance. He also had this discussion delayed until tonight because as he said "his people" weren't here. WELL...... ONLY THREE SHOWED UP!

There are many things my clients wis
h to have in a future home in Maplewood. Being able to raise chickens in the backyard has not come up yet. Am I shocked that I have not had anyone ask? Why no! Why you might ask? Because we
don't live in farmville!

I was at the meeting last night and did stand up to speak. My argument was quite compelling and I'm saddened that Mary didn't include me in her article. ;)

Seriously though, I oppose the ordinance but I want to at least say that Fred is very passionate about his position and well educated on it. It's his baby, and he will obviously be seeing this thing through for better or for worse. Kathy, while indicating chickens don't make sense for her personally, supports the chickens. I understand her position but to equate it with the community garden makes no sense to me. Jerry and Marlon seemed to get it. Jerry who is selling his home, says broker(s) are telling him chickens are a bad idea. Brokers are important people to speak with and if they overwhelmingly don't like it, that should speak volumes.

Finally, Vic. I'm surprised he all of a sudden backs this thing. I'm assuming it's a political return of favor. Remember, Vic was against chickens before he was for chickens.

I pleaded with Mayor Deluca in the closing arguments. I asked him, "WHat can we do to change your mind? HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE do you need in the seats, or on the petition or on Maplewood Online or on FB?"

ITS IMPERATIVE TO GET PEOPLE IN THE SEATS !!!

The Mayor said as much and not just folks from Summit and Midland (and now Richmond) who are dealing with a rat problem that is still ongoing after 4 1/2 months.

I URGE EVERY NEIGHBOR, PLEASE COME OUT AND OPPOSE THIS RIDICULOUS CHICKEN COOP IDEA. Its bad for Maplewood. Profeta didn't even have his Green team there and NOT ONE of the 15 people who want this EVEN SHOWED UP!
PLEASE, PLEASE COME OUT AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT. This is what the council wants to see. We have to change the Mayors mind. He's the only one.

I'll say again, if there had been chicken coops adjacent to the property we ended up buying, it would have changed our minds. Great that this is ok in NYC, but I doubt the impact on the rodent population, pollution and noise is something you could tie to a city already drowning in all three. We moved here in part to get away from those things, and didn't consider it a move to the country or a farming community.

We have a rat problem and the point was well made that they don't stay put in one place. Bringing something new into the community that has any potential to worsen the situation is simply a bad idea. The point about frozen ground and waste removal is also well made especially combined with the town record on ordinance enforcement. I haven't been here long enough to have much perspective, so if that's in any way incorrect, I love to know.

Even with this problem solved, I'm still opposed. We're talking about 15 homes now, but what are we talking about if this moves forward - one hundred, one thousand? And at that point, how are we funding enforcement?

The fact that a dozen people showed up specifically to oppose and 3 for (one not really being a pro or con, just a voice to alleviate fear), speaks volumes about the community's position on this.

Thanks so much Michael for being there and saying some very important things. Now lets spread the word even further.
Where is the $ coming from to make sure these chickens are being properly looked after? There's only ONE Mr. Roe and is he going to be battling the rat problem AND making sure people are following the proceedures to make sure the chicken feces is properly disposed of and the feed properly stored? So many unanswered questions because Fred Profeta hasn't gotten that far yet - AFTER TWO MEETINGS.
PLEASE EVERYONE COME OUT. WE NEED YOU THERE. WE JUST NEED TO CHANGE THE MAYORS MIND.

As an organic gardener, I can tell you what those chicken droppings are good for. Best fertilizer known. I say yes, let's have chickens. People need to be connected to nature, to the food they eat, and yes, that probably means butchering the spent hens for stew.
Now about those rats. Where's the food coming from that feeds them? hmmm. It sure ain't the chickens.

Vote YES for chickens
Linda West Eckhardt

Linda, Thanks for your post but please come to the meeting and have your voice be heard and get properly informed on the subject matter. Please read past posts which explain why chickens aren't good for our neighbors backyards. Including property value, fecal runoff into yards, $ it is going to cost to make sure chicken coops are being well maintained, the stink in the summer and spring months when you want to have a nice BBQ and feeding and watering chickens when there's 4 feet of snow outside and trying to dispose of fecal matter and having someone watching the chickens always because they need to be fed and watered.
Its not just, "Oh great idea! lets have chickens for eggs and get connected to nature." There are many man ways to be green in Maplewood. I suggested the town sponsoring trips to NJ farms (that are less than 20 minutes away) for children and families. Or buying fresh eggs at a local far like we do. Or getting a CSA basket (like we do) by supporting a local farm and its delivered right to Maplewood! As for butchering, No, Mr. Profeta doesn't wan to see THAT part of the circle of life. He has no idea what to do with the hens. As for the rats, we have a huge rat problem. Coops attract rats thats why the feed has to be stored properly and they are attracted to the feces. Rats come with every chicken coop. FACT. You have coops, you have rats. One man Mr. ROE cannot handle what we've got going on here now.

I hope to see you there at the next meeting Nick instead of all of this arm-chair quarterbacking you do. This way you can hear all the bits and pieces - not just from a few who are able to post on Maplewood online. Where were you?

Thanks for the offer, Suz, but I'm gonna stick with the armchair quarterbacking. It seems me the Mayor is handling this responsibly, so I'll say that I trust his stewardship on this issue and get on with posting on Patch.

Oh the feces!

LOL! See Nick? I knew you were CHICKEN!
;p

No, I just really don't give a chicken s--t, Suz. I think it's hysterically funny how worked up you are. Do you get this worked up about things that actually matter?

Sorry Nick! LOL

I don't think the Chicken Littles go far enough. Why stop at banning chickens because their feed might attract rats? Why not ban bird feeders because they attract squirrels, which are just rats with bush tales? Those vermin are every where already. They also want to ban chickens because of their poop. Why not ban dogs and cats too because of their poop? Bagging it and tossing it just isn't good enough, I guess.

Basically, though, what the Chicken Littles are saying is, "These aren't the right sort of birds for Maplewood. We don't want to live next to chickens. Chickens bring down property values. Chickens are filthy and attract a bad element." Maybe what we need is a Community Coalition on Chickens.

God I love this thread...

Pathetic lives...seriously Nickolas? You sound angry and I know that there is no reasoning with an angry man! you would never understand why chickens are bad for our town because you probably don't have rats the size of cats roaming in your backyard or maybe you do and its just part of your every day life! All we are saying is that if we have rats now, raising chickens would only create a bigger infestation. No one has come up with a way to raise these chickens without attracting rats. If this ordinance passes, I hope that your neighbors get chickens for your sake because something tells me that your are too chicken to have chickens!

I doubt that! But if I did...no pun intend! NO to Chicken coops! Enjoy the rest of your day!

I don't want chickens, you're right. I hate birds. But it's a fun idea and it exists in 'burbs all over this great land of ours.
And no one's been able to figure out how to do ANYTHING without rats. They are smart little buggers.

Hey, come to think, that's a great idea! Can I raise Norway Rats in my backyard? For pets or meat.

Nick, you can have mine: The recent road work on Tuscan appears to have uprooted my recent rather large rats from their sewer abodes in search of food and shelter - both of which they're trying to find in my garbage bin. Absolutely disgusting. They also seem not to be bothered by poison.

I think you're hiding chickens somewhere, Lauren, so quite frankly you get what you deserve :-)

All you rat haters need to watch Ratatouille, about 10 times. and as for those chickens? they will come home to roost. It's the times. there's a crack of light under the door and it leads straight to the barnyard. And not a minute too soon.
Linda West Eckhardt
Editor/pubisher Everybody Eats News
http://www.everybodyeatsnews.com

Where are the writers in this town? Where are the graphic artists? Can't you see th potential? Rats in the sewer? Chickens in the back yards? Humans running around like chickens with their heads cut off? This deserves its own illustrated book. Who knows. Maybe its a movie. Plenty of drama, pathos, grief, joy, and tension.
Linda

Hope to see you at the meeting Linda! :)

I have to miss the meeting Suz -- we're having our 1st Annual Rat BBQ Block Party that night.
For dessert we'll have rat cake, rat pudding, rat sorbet, and strawberry tart.
(who's with me on that reference?)

Fabulous Munson! Have a blast! :)