Chicken ordinance coming into clearer focus; talks to continue

Details are starting to fall into place for a possible ordinance that would allow Belgium Village residents to keep as many as four chickens in their backyards.

The Public Safety Committee on Aug. 27 hammered out some of the elements it would like to see in the ordinance, including setback requirements, fees and waste removal.

The three-person committee tasked the village clerk and treasurer with drafting an ordinance to present at the next committee meeting in fall.

The committee came to a consensus that the setback requirement for a chicken coop should be 25 feet from other structures, including neighbors’ buildings but not including detached garages. The coops should also be at least 15 feet from the property line, the committee determined.

Members agreed chickens should only be kept at residences zoned single family and discussed how bird owners should dispose of the feathered creatures’ waste.

“Chickens aren’t the only animal that poops,” committee member Sarah Heisler said. “I think we can’t just single chickens out when it comes to pooping. That’s my opinion on poop.”

It was agreed that the ordinance will prohibit waste from being taken to the village’s recycling center.

Upon the death of a chicken, its body also may not be taken to the recycling center.

It would cost $50 for the permit, not including a building permit for the coop, and $35 for annual renewals. The late fee was suggested to be $50, despite the initial reaction that it was too high.

“If you make it $50, they’re going to do it on time,” Village President Roseann Geib, who isn’t a committee member but attended the meeting, said.

“I don’t have a problem with that,” committee member Dan Wolff said.

Penalties for violating the ordinance are not to exceed $200.

Megan Phillips of Belgium asked the Village Board in spring to allow residents to keep “a limited number of chickens” in their back yards and filed the request via a petition on change.org. 

Phillips said her family grows as much non-genetically modified organism food as possible.

Chicken talk has been happening around the village ever since.

“I’ve been discussing it with committee members, which I shouldn’t probably admit because that’s a walking quorum,” committee chairman Rose Sauers said.