Are Domestic Chickens Right for Temple Terrace?

The Temple Terrace City Council is considering an issue that has the potential to ruffle some feathers.

Council members asked city staff to look into allowing residents to raise chickens in their backyards.

The issue came to their attention in June when Dr. Fawzi Hindi, 27, asked for a waiver to allow him, his wife and their three children to raise chickens at their home.

The family recently moved to Pleasant Terrace and is renting a home on 1.06 acres of property in the 12000 block of N. 53rd Street.

“When I came down, I saw that Tampa had ordinances in place (that allow chickens), and I got really excited,” he said. “And then I found out Temple Terrace is not in Tampa.”

Hindi said he wants to have the chickens as a sustainable food source and to encourage his kids to be in touch with nature.

He talked about the urban farming movement, which is gaining in popularity across the country. As people continue to feel the economy’s pinch, some are looking for sustainable ways to stretch their money, including growing backyard vegetables and raising chickens for eggs in small city yards.

Over the last year and half, Temple Terrace residents have developed two Temple Terrace Community Gardens in the city—one at Riverhills Elementary School and one at Riverhills Park. Now, they’re working on a third at Greco Middle School.

“This effort in general plays into the whole community garden movement—the idea of keeping domestic fowl,” said Councilman Grant Rimbey during the meeting. “It’s hip and cool to many young families that are younger in generation than me—the ones that we are trying to attract, the ones moving to Seminole Heights and Tampa Heights.”

Last year, the Tampa City Council voted 6-1 to alter an ordinance regulating livestock within the city limits, according to Seminole Heights Patch. The changes, which went into effect in January, make it simpler for people to raise chickens in their own yards.

In May, Pasco County Commissioners decided to look into allowing backyard chicken coops in residential areas, according to Land O’ Lakes Patch.

But Temple Terrace council members had concerns.

“Chickens can create lots of problems for lots of neighbors, and no one’s ever happy about it,” said Councilman Robert Boss. “We used to have a problem behind Mercantile Bank that was a major issue for a lot of the neighbors there that didn’t like it.”

Councilwoman Allison Fernandez wondered how the council could create an ordinance to allow chickens and alleviate potential concerns.

“The reason livestock has not been allowed in the city is noise and smell and dirt—bacteria,” she said.

They’d have to figure out conditions like how many animals would be allowed, what size animals would be appropriate and how much property someone would have to have to raise the animals, said Councilman Eddie Vance.

Council members decided not to grant Hindi a waiver to have chickens, but they asked city staff to examine what ordinances Tampa and other communities have enacted regarding domestic fowl and if a similar ordinance would be suitable for Temple Terrace.

The council would seek public input before any ordinance was finalized.

“The door just didn’t get shut,” Mayor Frank Chillura summarized during the meeting. “Basically, we said we’re going to look at what others are doing and see if it’s something we can look at.”

Do you think Temple Terrace residents should be allowed to have backyard chickens or other farm animals? Tell us in the comments.

Want to see what other communities around the country are discussing in regard to domestic chickens?

• In Radnor, Pa., the Board of Health has made recommendations for a one-year pilot program that would allow residents to have backyard chickens on their properties, according to Radnor Patch.

• In Teaneck, N.J., a family is hoping to have the township’s ban on raising backyard chickens repealed, according to Teaneck Patch.

• In Northbrook, Ill., a family has decided to keep their chickens illegally after elected officials denied a proposal to lift restrictions on raising backyard chickens last year, according to Northbrook Patch.

• In Golden Valley, Minn., the Environmental Commission recommended the City Council allow people to keep hens on residential property March 12 after collecting research and speaking to experts in the community, according to Golden Valley Patch.

• In Batavia, Ill., the Batavia City Council voted 9-5 in favor of allowing chickens on residential properties in 2011, according to Batavia Patch.