Oswego is not ready to vote on an ordinance that would allow backyard chickens.
Village Board trustees at a Committee of the Whole meeting this week decided to have more discussion on a proposal to amend the village’s zoning ordinance that would allow residents to raise backyard chickens for their eggs.
One of the issues was how to handle the logistics of issuing permits for chicken coops, in particular in subdivisions where homeowners associations have rules and regulations that prohibit chicken coops.
The subdivisions’ covenants and restrictions would override the village’s ordinance, village officials said. Verifying those locations would be difficult, officials said.
“I am not terribly in favor of this. We have to weigh the valid concerns over property values with those that would like the freedom to raise chickens in their backyard,” Trustee Ryan Kauffman said.
Trustees agreed to have another discussion at the May 16 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Bobbi Burgstone, representing the Blackberry Knoll Homeowner Association, said raising a flock of hens is altogether different from having domesticated cats and dogs.
She said she was happy that trustees didn’t vote on the proposal.
“It was their first conversation. They need more facts and figures. If people want to raise chickens, they should buy a farm,” Burgstone said.
She said in a worst-case scenario she envisioned chickens escaping from the coops and creating an annoyance that prompts people to want to shoot them.
She said there are some breeds of chickens that “screech,” and then there’s the potential that they would attract wild predators. Also, coops could become unsightly and lower property values, she said.
The proponents said chickens are cleaner than having a dog.
“People want to live a more sustainable lifestyle,” said Tamie Prior, who has chickens on a Yorkville campground. Prior said she would like to raise them in her own backyard.
“Chickens tend to stay near their coops. They don’t wander around town,” she said.
The village’s Environmentally Conscious Commission of Oswego developed a draft ordinance after doing research over the last year of what other communities have done.
The citizen-appointed group tried five years ago to get approval for backyard chickens, but the topic was dropped amid opposition.
The village’s Planning and Zoning Commission was split 3 votes to 3 votes in its recent report to the Village Board on the issue.
Community Developer Director Rod Zenner said keeping backyard chickens has grown in popularity. He said the draft ordinance was patterned after similar ones in surrounding communities, including Batavia, St. Charles and Naperville.
According to village officials, Oswego has approximately 69 residential subdivisions, and 33 have active homeowners associations that meet regularly.
City Administrator Dan Di Santo said the village discussed the zoning change at a recent Homeowners Confederation meeting. The membership requested that the village regulate the issuance of permits.
Di Santo said the village could verify whether the homeowner lives in an area that does permit chickens, but it would be difficult. However, Trustee Judy Sollinger suggested the homeowner get a letter from the homeowners association before a permit is issued. Sollinger said covenants and restrictions are recorded with Kendall County.
Trustee Luis Perez said he had a series of questions related to the issuance of permits and enforcement that he wants answered before he votes on the subject.
Trustee Joe West said he is not a proponent, while Trustee Pam Parr said she would prefer to have clucking chickens next door rather than a barking dog.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
