Get ready to coop-erate one last time! The final push for urban hens in Salem

October 26. Be there, aloha. Tireless urban hens advocate Barb Palermo writes:

Thank you to everyone who sent the Mayor an email. Many of you forwarded copies of your letters to me and they were all wonderful. Again, thank you so much! If you haven't sent one yet, please consider doing so in the next two weeks. Mayor Taylor's email address is: jtaylor@cityofsalem.net. The more she gets, the better, and hopefully these will help to win back her vote (she voted for chickens in the past, then changed her mind).

According to the City Recorder, two different draft chicken ordinances will be discussed and voted upon on October 26. City staff will provide the councilors with the two proposed chicken ordinances they requested and, if I understand correctly, one of the following three things could happen that night:

1. They could vote for the proposal that would allow 3 hens (as livestock) but they would be taken out of the Land Use section of the code and put elsewhere. This would mean amending the city's code, which could require another public hearing before chickens become legal.

2. They could vote for the proposal they are calling "The Cannon Beach Approach" which would allow 3 hens (as pets) but they would still be regulated under the Land Use section of the city code. This would not require an amendment to the code and therefore would not require another public hearing.

3. Both proposed chicken ordinances could fail to get enough votes, in which case Salem will remain one of the few cities in Oregon that does not allow backyard hens.

This coming Friday afternoon a copy of the two above-mentioned proposals will be
available online and I will forward that to you. The councilors will also receive these materials a week in advance, but there will be do discussion or vote until October 26th.

I know it's a lot to ask you to come to city hall once again (this will be our 9th presentation), but this is the most important one. I was able to get more notice than usual, so we have two weeks to arrange our schedules so that we can have as many people there as possible. I will make a point of asking everyone who supports chickens to stand. When council deliberates, they will feel the pressure with all eyes on them and seeing a room packed with eager chicken supporters could get us that last vote we need.

PLEASE DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ATTEND AND BRING FRIENDS AND FAMILY WITH YOU!

Monday, October 26 at 6:30 pm
Salem City Hall - 555 Liberty Street - Room 240