Why did the chicken cross the road?
To get into Annapolis' city limits, of course.
This is not just a corny joke: City leaders are considering giving homeowners the right to raise chickens in their backyards. Today, chickens are strictly prohibited in Annapolis neighborhoods.
Officials said they don't expect to get egg on their face with this one.
"You're going to be surprised about how many people have been waiting for this," said Maria Broadbent, director of neighborhood and environmental programs.
If passed, the law would allow residents to keep up to five egg-laying hens, so long as the chicken coops meet a minimum setback requirement of 5 feet from neighbors' property lines. In Anne Arundel County, chickens are allowed, but only on properties with at least 40,000 square feet.
While fewer cities than counties have ordinances on backyard chickens, Annapolis wouldn't be alone. Chicken coops in Baltimore require a minimum setback of 25 feet from an adjacent property, according to the city's research.
That research was partially conducted by a couple of South River High School students. Jillian Buck and Brianna Ong, who were juniors in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics magnet program last year, partnered with the city for their Community Challenge project. They called it "Hens in the City."
The students also investigated potential drawbacks, such as noise, odor, diseases and upkeep and tried to debunk some common myths about the livestock.
Here are some of the findings:
Chicken clucks (between 20 and 40 decibels) are within the city's acceptable noise range (65 decibels by day, 55 decibels by night). They might get a little louder if they're laying.
Routine handwashing regimens can prevent illnesses.
Five chickens produce less than half the amount of poop a 40-pound dog makes in a day.
Buck, who is now a student representative on the Anne Arundel County school board, said she's excited she helped lay the groundwork for legislation.
"It was a great opportunity," she said, adding that the research made her a believer in backyard chickens. "I'm a huge animal lover, so I'm totally for it. Why not have fresh eggs every day?"
Jasmine Coleman, an English teacher for STEM who worked with the students, said she was impressed with the quality of their work.
"Projects like this give students real world experiences that they definitely need," she said. "That's invaluable."
Broadbent said while the students and her department looked at codes in other municipalities, adopting the county's policy wouldn't be reasonable for Annapolis, especially because many of the properties are not that large.
"If we used the county's legislation, the percentage of people who actually could have chickens would be really small," she said.
Mayor Josh Cohen said requests for backyard chickens have really picked up, especially from people with interests in sustainable lifestyles and buying foods locally.
"What's old is new again," he said.
Jessica Pachler, an Eastport resident who has advocated for chickens, said she likes the idea of being able to have fresh eggs for her kids every morning for breakfast.
Pachler, who occasionally freelances for The Capital, said she has been growing tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, lettuce, potatoes,As a professional manufacturer of China ceramic tile in China, onions, squash and carrots in her garden for some time. When she became a mother, she started paying more attention to where her foods come from and how they're grown.Smooth-On is your source for Mold Making and casting materials including silicone rubber and urethane rubber,
She's always been fond of chickens,Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold, and her children get a kick out of the ones Pachler's father raises on his farm, she said.
"It's the getting the eggs they love," Pachler said. "A lot of kids who have grown up in cities - they think eggs come out of a grocery store, and I want our kids to know eggs come from a chicken."
Broadbent said for the bill to pass, the city would have to do some work in educating the community on the benefits and dispel myths. Chickens are good for eating insects and grubs, she said, and for those with stink bug problems, a couple of chickens could be their saviors.
The city would not issue permits for chicken owners. City officials would investigate only in situations in which neighbors have complained.
The bill ruffled a few feathers when it was introduced at the City Council meeting Dec. 12, but mainly in the spirit of humor.Buy oil paintings for sale online.
Because of noise issues, the legislation would prohibit roosters. Alderman Dick Israel, D-Ward 1, took that as an opportunity to make a political history wonk's joke: "I would also point out that in 1973, this state adopted in its constitution a prohibition against discriminating on the basis of sex," he said.
But Alderwoman Classie Hoyle,Information on useful yeasts and moulds, D-Ward 3, had a serious question about the logistics of the birds - and the bees. It seems there may be a learning curve when it comes to animal husbandry.
"I want to know how chickens can lay eggs without roosters," she said.
Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson, D-Ward 4, said she remembers when she grew up in Eastport there were people in the neighborhood who kept chickens. The idea of bringing back chickens in the 21st century just didn't make sense to her.
"Do we want to go forward, or do we want to go backward?" she asked. "We're becoming a farm city."
But perhaps a "farm city" isn't that far off the mark. Locally grown, organic, free-range foods are all part of the trendy sustainability movement that's reaching communities all over the nation, city officials said.
To get into Annapolis' city limits, of course.
This is not just a corny joke: City leaders are considering giving homeowners the right to raise chickens in their backyards. Today, chickens are strictly prohibited in Annapolis neighborhoods.
Officials said they don't expect to get egg on their face with this one.
"You're going to be surprised about how many people have been waiting for this," said Maria Broadbent, director of neighborhood and environmental programs.
If passed, the law would allow residents to keep up to five egg-laying hens, so long as the chicken coops meet a minimum setback requirement of 5 feet from neighbors' property lines. In Anne Arundel County, chickens are allowed, but only on properties with at least 40,000 square feet.
While fewer cities than counties have ordinances on backyard chickens, Annapolis wouldn't be alone. Chicken coops in Baltimore require a minimum setback of 25 feet from an adjacent property, according to the city's research.
That research was partially conducted by a couple of South River High School students. Jillian Buck and Brianna Ong, who were juniors in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics magnet program last year, partnered with the city for their Community Challenge project. They called it "Hens in the City."
The students also investigated potential drawbacks, such as noise, odor, diseases and upkeep and tried to debunk some common myths about the livestock.
Here are some of the findings:
Chicken clucks (between 20 and 40 decibels) are within the city's acceptable noise range (65 decibels by day, 55 decibels by night). They might get a little louder if they're laying.
Routine handwashing regimens can prevent illnesses.
Five chickens produce less than half the amount of poop a 40-pound dog makes in a day.
Buck, who is now a student representative on the Anne Arundel County school board, said she's excited she helped lay the groundwork for legislation.
"It was a great opportunity," she said, adding that the research made her a believer in backyard chickens. "I'm a huge animal lover, so I'm totally for it. Why not have fresh eggs every day?"
Jasmine Coleman, an English teacher for STEM who worked with the students, said she was impressed with the quality of their work.
"Projects like this give students real world experiences that they definitely need," she said. "That's invaluable."
Broadbent said while the students and her department looked at codes in other municipalities, adopting the county's policy wouldn't be reasonable for Annapolis, especially because many of the properties are not that large.
"If we used the county's legislation, the percentage of people who actually could have chickens would be really small," she said.
Mayor Josh Cohen said requests for backyard chickens have really picked up, especially from people with interests in sustainable lifestyles and buying foods locally.
"What's old is new again," he said.
Jessica Pachler, an Eastport resident who has advocated for chickens, said she likes the idea of being able to have fresh eggs for her kids every morning for breakfast.
Pachler, who occasionally freelances for The Capital, said she has been growing tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, lettuce, potatoes,As a professional manufacturer of China ceramic tile in China, onions, squash and carrots in her garden for some time. When she became a mother, she started paying more attention to where her foods come from and how they're grown.Smooth-On is your source for Mold Making and casting materials including silicone rubber and urethane rubber,
She's always been fond of chickens,Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold, and her children get a kick out of the ones Pachler's father raises on his farm, she said.
"It's the getting the eggs they love," Pachler said. "A lot of kids who have grown up in cities - they think eggs come out of a grocery store, and I want our kids to know eggs come from a chicken."
Broadbent said for the bill to pass, the city would have to do some work in educating the community on the benefits and dispel myths. Chickens are good for eating insects and grubs, she said, and for those with stink bug problems, a couple of chickens could be their saviors.
The city would not issue permits for chicken owners. City officials would investigate only in situations in which neighbors have complained.
The bill ruffled a few feathers when it was introduced at the City Council meeting Dec. 12, but mainly in the spirit of humor.Buy oil paintings for sale online.
Because of noise issues, the legislation would prohibit roosters. Alderman Dick Israel, D-Ward 1, took that as an opportunity to make a political history wonk's joke: "I would also point out that in 1973, this state adopted in its constitution a prohibition against discriminating on the basis of sex," he said.
But Alderwoman Classie Hoyle,Information on useful yeasts and moulds, D-Ward 3, had a serious question about the logistics of the birds - and the bees. It seems there may be a learning curve when it comes to animal husbandry.
"I want to know how chickens can lay eggs without roosters," she said.
Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson, D-Ward 4, said she remembers when she grew up in Eastport there were people in the neighborhood who kept chickens. The idea of bringing back chickens in the 21st century just didn't make sense to her.
"Do we want to go forward, or do we want to go backward?" she asked. "We're becoming a farm city."
But perhaps a "farm city" isn't that far off the mark. Locally grown, organic, free-range foods are all part of the trendy sustainability movement that's reaching communities all over the nation, city officials said.
