Good day all;
I hope someone actually reads this forum, there hasn't been a lot of traffic here in quite a while. There wasn't a lot of traffic when there was traffic.
Anyway, Harris Township, home of the Boalsburg Chickens, (heh) is adopting an ordinance to allow the keeping of 'backyard chickens' on residential lots in the township.
I applaud this effort, and they deserve a lot of support to taking this initiative. Good on'em.
They have set up an online forum to discuss this matter publicly at:
chickenregulations.wikispaces.com/Chicken+Regulations
It's my hope that folks who live in and directly around Harris Township will go to this page, read the discussions and participate. The township needs some input on this, as they have posted a draft ordinance that very strongly resembles something that a Home Owner's Association might put together. It's my very well considered opinion that the ordinance, as drafted, is unneccesarily restrictive, but a wide margin, considering the extents of the township and the types of properties therein.
The township has been very upfront and transparent in this matter, and has asked for input from folks to help them tune and refine this ordinance. They want to move forward and permit folks to take some ownership of their food. They deserve a lot of kudos for this. But they can't come up with a good ordinance if people don't give them good feedback. There has been some participation in the online discussion, but not very much.
Please help.
Thanks kindly
-Chipper