Aberdeen to Consider Chicken Ordinance Changes in March
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Aberdeen Town Commissioners will considers changes to an ordinance that regulates the keeping of chickens within town limits during its March meeting.
The board held a public hearing on proposed changes to the ordinance at its regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 13.
The proposed changes include:
limiting the number of chickens per lot to 1 per 5,000 square foot.
Chickens would be allowed in the RA, R30-18, R20-16, R18-14, R10-10, PUD, B-1, B-2, C-I, and I-H zoning districts.
Chickens are the only type of fowl permitted
Roosters are prohibited
Chickens living outside the planning and zoning jurisdiction of the town may be brought to town for temporary events such as festivals and other planned special events provided they are in town for no more than three days.
Coops and yardings for the chickens must be in the rear of the dwelling.
Chickens must be kept in coops at night and are allowed to roam in yarding areas during daytime hours.
Coops and yardings shall be fully enclosed by a perimeter fence. Coops shall be within the yarding area and shall be set back a minimum of 30 feet from solid perimeter fencing or a minimum of 100 feet from open wire fencing.
Mayor Pro Tem Robbie Farrell asked how roosters currently within the town would be handled.
Town Planner Kathy Liles said it would be something that would have to be dealt with. If the roosters were legal based on the prior ordinance, which specified lot sizes, number of fowl, then those roosters could be considered to be allowed, or grandfathered in.
If a complaint is filed against an owner who is found to be out of compliance with the ordinance, the violator would received a letter of notification that they are out of compliance and be given 14 to 30 days to comply with the ordinance.
If they don't comply in time, they will be cited for the violation and fined $50 per day until the come back into compliance.
For more on this story, see the print edition of The Pilot.
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Comments
NotSoFast 1 year, 3 months ago
Mr Farrell, the only way to handle the roosters in town limits is either a deep fried or a slow roast on a grill. Sometimes baked may be preferred.
truthmatterstome2 1 year, 3 months ago
Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here we are in 2012 and Aberdeen is making a decision on whether you can have chickens, where to house them, and how to keep them quiet, and The Pilot runs it on the front page!!! How can there be any place better than Moore County? Living in the 21st century with 18th century leadership.
camesh 1 year, 3 months ago
SOME people just have to much time on there hands!! If thats your only worry consider yourselves blessed.
NotSoFast 1 year, 3 months ago
I work for a service company, last week I was in Pinehurst working when I saw a group of deer. My thought was that if I lived there I would be eating deer roast with carrots and potatoes .
injuredlist 1 year, 3 months ago
Do the chickens have large talons?
ladylane 1 year, 3 months ago
Are the chickens for pets or food?
Courseaire 1 year, 3 months ago
ladylane - I think you laid an egg with that one.
LeeMcGraw 1 year, 3 months ago
I went to the Aberdeen meeting last night. Planning on attending each towns municipal meeting once in the county, and some elsewhere. Just happened to be a slow night for issues. I reccon that is a good thing! The board was very nice and very intelligent. Aberdeen voters can be proud of them for certain. Prayers going out to your fine mayor who was out with a family issue. It is good to know what others do and how they handle issues, and promote transparent government. Thank you for being receptive to me being there. I hope to find out from these visits what is changing and stay ahead of problems before they occur. The Chicken issue is a real one. People want to raise their own for eggs. Trends happen. One persons rights end where anothers begin so they were really thoughtful in working with and listening to the people in creating an ordinance. Probably be a good guideline for all.
olebaldy 1 year, 3 months ago
Lee McGraw, thanks for your comment, I guess you had to be there to understand problem and the potential it has to cause issues inside a town.
GodSentAngels 1 year, 3 months ago
My GodSent Angels Mission is a Non-profit organization that assists homeless and at-need families. Many of the families that we help can not afford both groceries AND medication. Many elderly folks take their medication twice a week instead of 7 days a week, due to their financial situation. I suggested that they raise their own chickens, that way they will have fresh eggs to eat each day. It is sad to see the old folks have to choose between medication and food, but it happens every day. I wish that the town of Aberdeen would consider dropping the CHICKEN/ROOSTER rules. These folks need the eggs that the chickens produce, amd many of them raise chickens for food. Families eat the Roosters as well as the hens. Why not just forget about the chickens/Roosters and worry about getting rid of the drug dealers and child molesters?
Bflat 1 year, 3 months ago
The trend may be that people are going to move to the country after all.
GodSentAngels 1 year, 3 months ago
Moving to the country would be the best way to go. But unfortunately many elderly folks can't move to the country. They have worked hard all their lives and paid taxes ..unlike some of the younger folks on welfare. These older folks can't afford to take their medication every day because they have to buy food. They have their house paid for but due to taxes and other bills, they have no money left at the end of the month. We're all headed in that direction, unfortunately. Many delicious meals are made from fresh eggs, and can be the difference between being well nourished or starving to death. I urge you to join the campaign to help the folks in Aberdeen keep their Roosters and hens.
RmeMP 1 year, 3 months ago
What exactly is wrong with people being able to raise chickens for food? Are neighbors complaining because of the noise? What's next, outlawing dogs because they bark?!
DoubleHeroides 1 year, 3 months ago
No one is outlawing any animals, RmeMP and GodSentAngels. LeeMcGraw hit the nail on the head when he said just earlier “one persons rights end where another’s begin.”
RmeMP, there are processes that protect you from an annoying barking dog just like there are legal means of dealing with your rowdy neighbors having a loud party at 4 in the morning on a Wednesday if they refuse to shut the music off. There is apparently some issue in Aberdeen wherein someone’s chickens were a detriment to surrounding property owners and because this isn’t the Wild West and you just can’t go kill the chickens yourself or beat your neighbor until they do what you want you have to take a civil approach.
No one said “no chickens are allowed in Aberdeen” they just want a good approach to keep people that have chickens from bothering people that don’t have them. And yes, I’ll be the first to ask the question of “why can’t you just ask your neighbor to nicely rein in their chickens?”
The simple answer is that there are people in this world that will say “I can do whatever I want and screw you” which means that person consciously doesn’t care about negatively affecting their neighbors.
RmeMP 1 year, 3 months ago
At double:
So you think that a family only being allowed ONE chicken, and no roosters is appropriate?! Riddle me this - with no roosters, how is your chicken going to reproduce (for food means) ? I agree there should be a reasonable amount allowed, but ONE every 5000 ft seems unreasonable.
bettertimes 1 year, 3 months ago
Yes it is the 21st century and more people than ever are raising chickens for egg and meat production. Raising your own is better than the hopped up hormone chickens and eggs that you buy in the grocery stores. As long as one keeps their chickens on their own property, there should not be any problems. I think the Town Board has produced some wonderful guidelines with the exception of the one hen per 5000 ft. If they would do a little research, they would find that chickens require much less space than that. One of the nice coops that the Southern Pines local feed store sells will house up to 10 chickens comfortably. Five hens would produce enough eggs each week for a family of four.
ncsnafu1 1 year, 3 months ago
@RmeMP: You don't need a rooster for a chicken to lay an egg.
Bflat 1 year, 3 months ago
^ ...unless you want fertile eggs and more chickens when hens start "setting."
RmeMP 1 year, 3 months ago
Correct snafu, I think everyone learned that in grade school :)
But you do need a rooster to have chicks, to raise for food purposes. If this debate isn't about the "noise" then why can't they have a rooster?
Arestorer 1 year, 3 months ago
I think it did all start with Roosters being noisy...Which is just what they are going to do...
RmeMP 1 year, 3 months ago
Really hondaboy??? People like you, is why normal people can't raise chickenw anymore... Way to go... Can I get a vote on getting rid of hondaboy since his comments annoy me? Yes hondaboy, you mean about as much as a chicken does to me :)
Arestorer 1 year, 3 months ago
im_a_harleyman18 minutes ago;
I believe that the lowest scores go to grunts, then tankers...Most MP's are pretty smart,even though most are also DICKS....
Arestorer 1 year, 3 months ago
Im for people being allowed to have limited birds on their property(Roosters&Hens)..But, I also think the numbers that Aberdump came up with are a little bit to limited...
Arestorer 1 year, 3 months ago
RmeMP::: Joke Dude..:)
RmeMP 1 year, 3 months ago
At restored, no worries - and I promise I'm not a penis :)
Hondaboy, I understand your predicament, but all it takes is one person who says they wouldn't mind if dogs were outlawed before some freak actually tries to have it put into law.
Bflat 1 year, 3 months ago
All day barking would be very annoying. I would be visiting the neighbor and telling them to do something about all that barking. I know someone that tape recorded all the barking and played ti back cause the neighbor didn't believe the dog barked. Hens and roosters don't make that much noise.
Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago
The Aberdeen Commissioners just authorized the release of this audio recording of their official deliberations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=795QUtdZJc0. This is why I am proud to be an American.
JustThinking 1 year, 3 months ago
Thatcher.....that was great!!! Thanks for sharing!
buskwon 1 year, 3 months ago
dear mr. Harleyman I think you should own a chicken , it might solve your problem , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArSLNJ...
Arestorer 1 year, 3 months ago
wdd101st ;; Were you an Infantryman??? Didnt mean to ruffle any feathers...
herecomesthescience 1 year, 3 months ago
Still can't figure out people who live in the town/city and want to live like they are in the country, or people who live in the country and want to live like they are in the city. If you live in town limits, close to everything, and with neighbors that are much closer to you, expect to live by the rules and common courtesy that has been established for that environment. Don't be suprised when you want to raise livestock, shoot your gun, or ride your ATV and people get upset about it. Same goes for the folks that live out in the country and get upset about peoples livestock making noise (or smells) or complain about somebody buzzing around on a 4 wheeler or hearing somebody's shotgun. Be intelligent, and choose to live where it suits you, and have the common courtesy to respect your neighbors.
DoubleHeroides 1 year, 3 months ago
Bingo. herecomesthescience has hit the nail on the head.
Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago
Exhibit 1: An innocent Aberdeen cat being stalked by an unruly Aberdeen chicken. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efTj6U.... Thank you Commissioners for finally putting a stop to this madness.
Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago
wdd101st-- Most folks have no prayer of getting into West Point (even if they wanted to, and the folks who didn't apply would likely not get in anyway)...including many here who like to label their opponents dumb. Enjoy your posts here, sir! Congrats!
Arestorer 1 year, 3 months ago
wdd101st11 hours, 53 minutes ago ;; So your a West Point grad ??? And hey, I think we were talking about enlisted men, not Officers.. Just wondering...When I enlisted in the 70's, the lowest scoring folks only had the choice of Grunt or Tanker.....I was a Scout in 1/1 CAV...126-entry score..