Farmington Council Votes to Ban Chickens

With a split vote, the Farmington city council decided Monday not to allow residents to on their property.

In doing so, members dismissed the last month.

Councilmembers Kristin Kuiken, Greg P. Cowley and Mayor Pro Tem William E. Galvin opposed the motion to allow chickens.

Kuiken said she was swayed be the size of the lots in Farmington, saying they weren't big enough to give proper distance between chicken owners and their neighbors.

She said typically the lots are pretty small compared to those in surrounding communities, which often have properties of one or more acres and suggested setbacks of 100 to 175 feet from adjoining buildings. Under the proposal from the planning commission, it would have been 50-foot distance from neighbors and a 10-foot distance from the residence.

"For us to accomodate a setback of that degree would be impossible," she said.

Farmington Mayor Tom Buck, who, along with Councilwoman JoAnne M. McShane,  voted in favor of the chickens in town, said he didn't think the issue needed to be addressed because he was not seeing the nuisance factor that others were highlighting.

"First of all, to my knowledge, we've had zero complaints from anyone about chickens. We have had complaints about other animals, but none about chickens," Buck said. "I felt like we were reacting to a problem that did not really exist."

Farmington officials took a look at the city's animal control rules after an Ohio man released dozens of exotic animals before committing suicide last October. The incident, in which 48 animals were killed, has led state and local officials around the country to review local ordinances.

City Manager Vince Pastue said he is recommending those who currently have chickens to be grandfathered in.

He said he is aware of just three residents who are raising chickens and none of them have more than three. Under the council plan, those homeowners would not be allowed to replace their chickens once they die.

The issue has been debated since city made revisions to the city code regarding exotic animals earlier this year, , including chickens. But residents have pushed for rules to allow them.