Chickens in the city? That’s what members of Grand Haven City Council recently discussed.
The conversation was the result of a local resident who asked them what it would take to allow egg-laying hens in the city.
Since the question was asked, the city’s planning commissioners have researched the idea, and City Council has now tasked them with creating a new ordinance allowing backyard chickens.
It’s not like allowing chickens outside of a traditional farm setting is a foreign concept. Already, chickens are allowed locally in places like Spring Lake and Grand Haven townships, and even Ferrysburg (for now).
Elsewhere in Michigan, places like Holland, Grand Rapids, Traverse City and Ann Arbor allow backyard chickens. Those are not rural settings by any stretch of the imagination.
Considering that some preliminary rules for a city chicken ordinance would include limits to lot sizes, the number of chickens being no more than four and not allowing roosters, we say why not give the ordinance a shot?
There seems to be a growing trend of people wanting to know where their food comes from, and this certainly ranks right up there as a way to obtain food from a known source.
It’s also noted that chicken waste can be used as fertilizer for plants – so, if you have a backyard garden, you could find additional uses for the chickens beyond the eggs. It seems like there could also be educational benefits – teaching children and young adults about animals traditionally found on a farm.
And while there are those that claim the chickens could bring in wild animals or be a nuisance, via noise or smell, the same could be said with any animal if not properly cared for – even your cat or dog.
As long as people follow the rules and maintain their coops, we have no reason to believe this will cause a problem.
Besides, it would seem like residents who truly want chickens, and plan on making the investment and taking the time to properly raise them, would be the ones who’d get them.
The chicken ordinance is a unique opportunity for Grand Haven, and we hope the Planning Commission takes the time to come up with a solid ordinance allowing chickens in town.
At the same time, we should make sure there are proper safeguards in place to ensure that those that don’t want chickens in their yard aren’t negatively affected.
