Evanston aldermen consider chicken ordinance: coop-keepers to be grilled
Citing the recent salmonella outbreak from Iowa-produced eggs, leaders of the Evanston Backyard Chicken Committee are urging community leaders to pass an ordinance allowing citizens to keep backyard hens. The Evanston City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance at their Sept. 13th meeting.
Coop keepers estimate there are at least three local families raising chickens for fresh eggs. Stealthy and low profile, these proponents of "raising and laying your own" give secret tours of their coops. Many educate neighbors by holding "how to" meetings in their homes. One resident who keeps hens said coop keepers is generous, supplying friends with a fresh supply of eggs.
"We have spent the last year working on this ordinance and hope that the City Council votes to allow citizens to keep backyard hens. By passing this ordinance it would prove Evanston's commitment to support and encourage efforts to grow more food in Evanston," said Ellen King, chairwoman of Evanston's Backyard Chicken Committee. "The timing of the salmonella outbreak should serve as a wake-up call to local communities that there are many dangers in our current industrial food production process. Letting people produce their own food is the simplest and most natural solution to the problem of food safety and sustainability."
Prior to moving to the city council, the Human Services Committee raised concerns about sanitation and chickens attracting unwanted predators. Residents who support the ordinance as well as those who keep chickens have their own website, evanston-backyard-chickens.org, and an on-line petition to help support local farming. Evanston is one of a increasing number of communities nationally working to establish or change current laws on keeping hens.
If passed, owners will have to obtain a license, acquiescence from all adjacent landowners and take responsibility for clean maintenance of the coops. "I have a state-of-the-art coop," said one owner who asked that his name not be used for publication. "Fresh eggs are they way to go as there's no risk of salmonella. I give my eggs to everyone in town. But if anyone wants a tour of my coop, I have to blindfold them and lead them there. It's a secret, of course."
Posted by Lori Rotenberk
