The city council in Battle Ground, WA visited this issue in December. I believe the thinking was that this formerly rural area that was becoming "citified" needed to preempt any potential problems that keeping small animals on city lots might bring (smells, noise, etc.) However, so many people testified in support of allowing homeowners to keep chickens, rabbits, and small goats for food on their city lots that the rules were left alone and no further action is planned. The county Food Security Council and several gardening and farm supporters testified, stressing the need for public policies supporting local food security and affordable food, and allowing residents to grow as much of their own food as possible.It would be interesting to hear from anyone who was around and keeping chickens when Salem decided to get all gussied up and forbid "livestock" in residential areas zoned RS (residential single) -- was there ever a problem, or was the problem with real livestock (horses, cows, etc.) brought into the city via annexation?
Theresa Cross
MS RD CD
Clark County Public Health
United States
Note also the reference to a county "Food Security Council" -- now wouldn't that be a great idea for Oregon's top ag county (Marion County)? Since we're already seeing lots of signs of growing food INsecurity -- a/k/a hunger -- maybe it's time we stopped worrying about being "citified" and started letting people keep a small flock (five or six hens) in Salem.
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