Committee approves the changes! On to KCMO City Council

The proposed changes were approved at the June 29 Committee meeting.  Residents supporting the keeping of backyard hens have to know how important it is to rally support and make your voice heard to your City Council members in KCMO.  Please consider sending a letter and make sure you include your name and address so they are assured you are one of their constituants. Don't know your Council members? Follow this link:

http://www.kcmo.org/CKCMO/CityOfficials/CityCouncilOffice/index.htm


Here is a link to the Ordinance:

KCMO Ordinance 110479


This is a study compiled by Hugh Bartling at DePaul University in 2010:

http://www.eatwhereulive.com/chicken_ordinance_report.pdf

You can email us for more information.

First Permit DELAYED...back to Admin!

	The first permit for keeping backyard hens in Roeland Park was met with a delay based on procedural issues.   More discussion:  Admin Meeting Monday, March 28 · 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location	Roeland Park City Hall
Created By	City Hens In Roeland Park
More Info	The procedure for the first step in the Permit process is up for clarification. The first permit came before council before Staff received receipt of all of the neighbor notification letters. Timeframe for neighbor response will be discussed. As well as more clarification on procedure. Please join us if you can. And remember, always check the City of Roeland Park website for updates in time, etc. The agenda and packet should be on the City of Roeland Park website late Thursday afternoon.

Proposed Revised Ordinance including the Hen Keeping Permit

The City of Roeland Park Admin Meeting tonight will include a 30 minute discussion on the animal ordinance and the permit for keeping of backyard chickens.  All are welcome at the Admin Meetings.

There will be discussion on the animal control issues that were brought up at the last City Council Meeting.  We are looking forward to this discussion because historically in most communities it has been one the hardest fought issues. Roeland Park's situation is unique in that we belong to a cooperative group that oversees the animal control needs of several communities.  This in itself brings up issues unique to our group. We have met with the North East Animal Control commission to better understand their process.

We agree that animal control/code enforcement, while in all likelihood is not going to be an issue, is yet another resolvable obstacle that will be addressed with respect to our community's unique situation.

One place that we agree remains ambiguous in the revised animal ordinance.  Article 2-107 (d) is the 'guilty party' to begin with. It is this section that was so open to interpretation.

We look forward to the discussion this evening clarifying and rectifying this 'ambiguous' section. 

For your viewing pleasure....once again...here is the link:

http://www.roelandpark.net/citygov/minutes/2011/Admin/01-24-11%20agenda%20admin.pdf

City Hens in Roeland Park and the North East Animal Control Commission

At the last Roeland Park City Council meeting discussion regarding backyard hens and the permit, comments were made about how much it would cost to enforce codes(suggested per incident fee for chicken calls**) and that animal control would pass calls on to our Police Dept (because NEACC only handles wild or domestic animal calls)---wait a minute--aren't chickens members of one of those two categories?

The link leads you to the code that creates the commission and outlines its budget procedure, how the cities pay them (RP share is $54,000) and its role in animal control for the communities it serves. Take a read and be informed about this particular item that was brought up for discussion at the last meeting. 

There are several steps:

Go to: http://www.roelandpark.net/codes/CODES.html

then to the left click on the first item "New Ordinances Adopted..." 

then click on # 802...you are at the code.

**We have posted the comments from three other cities citing very little if any impact on their Animal Control Departments in a previous post.

Urban Hen Video Stories...

Young and old alike benefit from urban hens... This day care and the assisted living community benefit from the education and experience of being around hens.

Austin Texas likes urban hens!  Home of the Funky Chicken Coop Tour.

Urban Chickens in Portland Mayor believes it is part of his city's way of endorsing sustainability.

Urban Chickens in San Diego Girl moves from country to city and raises hens!

Backyard Hens: Facts & Myths

 

• Fact: Food Safety/Health By raising your own backyard hens, you are assured that they are being raised in a humane and healthy manner. Studies show that eggs from backyard hens are far healthier than store bought eggs.
• Fact: Sustainable Hens eat garden/grass   trimmings and kitchen scraps keeping them out of the landfill or sewer system and lay eggs providing a local source of nutritious food.
• Fact:  Educational Backyard hens are a great learning opportunity for children, showing them how food is raised and teaching responsibility.
• Myth: Smelly One medium sized dog produces the same amount of waste per day as 6 hens.  Hen manure can be composted, dog waste ends up in the landfill or lawns. Large, commercial operations can be smelly as they are not well ventilated and large amounts of waste are concentrated. Backyard coops of 6-10 hens do not create this concentration.
• Myth: Noise NO ROOSTERS ALLOWED! A hen at her loudest is 70 decibels, a barking dog or lawnmower is 90 decibels, a car horn is 100 decibels.
• Myth: Decreased property value There is no evidence that backyard hen keeping affects property values. According to a recent study, over 65% of major U.S. cities now allow chickens. Would major cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Madison, Denver and smaller cities like Missoula, MT, Roswell, GA, and Portland, OR have all passed ordinances if it adversely affected values?

Show your Support!

We have buttons!  We have informational flyers that you can email to your friends and don't forget the Town Hall Meeting on November 9!

We will be on the radio with the King Of Green this week talking City Hens in Roeland Park. Details to follow!

Comment on this blog or email us at chirpks@gmail.com if you want a cool button, have questions or need resources!

We are in the home stretch and need all the support we can gather!

Thank you to the volunteers and supporters who have helped make buttons, pass out flyers, do research and talk this up!  We appreciate all you do!

Time to Act!

Hello everyone,

   At the suggestion of the City Manager, the City Council has decided to hold a Town Hall meeting to get input from the citizens on the chicken ordinance.  In preparation for the Town Hall meeting, we are going to meet at the Cedar Roe Library on Thursday, October 14 and Thursday, October 21.  Both meetings will start at 6:00.

 

 The Johnson County Extension Council Agricultural Agent, Rick Miller,  will speak to us at this Thursday's meeting, October 14th, Cedar Roe Library, 6:00.  Please join us if you can.  I'm sure he will have really great information for us.   We will also be cutting out the paper for making buttons for our group as well as putting together a flyer to hand out. 

  

  If you have friends or neighbors that are interested in backyard hens and may have questions, please invite them to this meeting.  Rick Miller is a wonderful source of information and is happy to answer questions.

  

We will be creating an agenda for the October 21 meeting, so if you have any questions, suggestions or just wish to discuss a certain part of the proposed code, please let us know so that we can get it on the agenda.

 

 

 Please join us for these two meetings to prepare for the November 9th, Town Hall meeting.  Please invite any neighbors to join us.  Now is the time to gather our supporters and answer any questions that anyone may have. 

  

Roeland Park has a goal to be the "greenest city in Johnson County".  Let's help our city take a step towards that goal by adopting a great backyard hen ordinance.