Election Issues: Downers Grove Council Candidates on Backyard Chickens

On March 4, Patch published its 2013 Downers Grove Council Election Hub, a complete guide to the April 9 consolidated election in the village of Downers Grove. There you'll find voter information, recent election news and complete candidate biographies.

Before voters head to the polls, Patch wants to give readers an opportunity to compare where candidates for the village council stand on key issues. 

What is your opinion of the village’s current fowl ordinance, which has been the subject of debate in Downers Grove?

Bob Barnett

The current fowl ordinance has served us well for over 25 years and thus,any changes to it ought be carefully and thoughtfully deliberated. That means a deliberative process unlike the rather rushed and abbreviated one recently had.

When this issue came forward initially, I agreed to dedicate staff time to studying the issue and agreed to have an ordinance prepared that reflected the ideas suggested by those in support of change. At our meeting in January, when we met to review that study, I suggested the proposed ordinance change was too broad.

During that meeting I put a graphic on the white board in an attempt at demonstrating the point that I believe in any ordinance it's important to seek a solution that satisfies far more than a simple majority – if we are to make a change the result must be a condition within which even those who are opposed can find comfort.

More specifically, it is important that any change bring the majority of the community along, even those who are "anti-chicken", and yet doesn't have the effect of re-zoning all properties within the Village to satisfy a small number of landowners.

The issue is more complicated than we all might wish. As commented elsewhere, I hold dearly our “community of neighborhoods” and want to be careful that as we change and evolve our ordinances we avoid pitting neighbor against neighbor. Our government moves slower than many wish but in the end, I think there is some value to the process – tedious as it may seem at times – as long as that process remains thoughtful, transparent and considerate.

Marilyn J. Schnell

I believe that the current fowl ordinance allows for residents whose lots are larger to keep fowl on their property while still maintaining the rights of adjacent property owners. We have heard from both sides of the issue, and their appears to be a split in the community as to which way the council should move. By not adjusting the regulations at this time, it gives the community the opportunity to educate themselves as to the pros and cons, and determine what is in the best interests of all our residents.

David S. Olsen

The current fowl ordinance should be maintained while the Village explore sways to balance two dimensions of property rights: the right of an individual
to freely do what they like with their property, and the right of neighbors to expect a community free from unreasonable nuisance. I support leaving the current ordinance as it is while continuing to evaluate this issue to ensure we can strike a good balance for our community.

Susan Walaszek

Downers Grove has been a leader in innovation and sustainability and its current fowl ordinance is a prime example of how the Village was ahead of the game in 1987 in balancing the interest in raising backyard chickens against the right and responsibility of government to enact laws that protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens.

While I don’t condone the actions of residents who violated the ordinance, the violations and increased interest in revising the ordinance warranted at least a discussion (though it should have gone through the Plan Commission first).

That being said, the Jan. 21 standing committee was a good first start in getting the issues out in the open. However, additional discussion is needed to better refine and address each issue for its relevance to Downers Grove. Raising backyard chickens is a lifestyle choice with many direct benefits for the individual(s) raising the chickens.While many health, noise, odor, property, and safety issues related to raising backyard chickens can be minimized IF proper precautions are taken, the fact remains that these are still valid concerns for adjacent neighbors.

It basically comes down to a question of degree of harm to adjacent neighbors and compliance by the individual(s) raising the chickens. While I attended the standing committee meeting, read the Village’s report, performed my own research and was approached by opponents of backyard chickens, I still have many questions for both sides. I would also like to visit a residence with backyard chickens so I can better understand first-hand what adjacent neighbors may see, hear and smell. As such, at this time, I support additional discussions on whether the Village should consider free range or an adjustment to the set-back requirement, though not to the extent proposed iin the Village’s report. I also support a license or inspection component and the prohibition of roosters and slaughtering.

Don Jankowski

I am favor of allowing the majority of Downers Grove residents to use their land as they see fit, provided that it does not create a nuisance for others or unnecessarily infringe on public health, safety, or the environment. Our current poultry ordinance allows 509 homeowners to keep chickens on their properties. That means that fewer than 4 percent of property owners can own poultry. So the current ordinance gives rights to a small group of homeowners and excludes the vast majority from having the same rights. The question is whether the current ordinance, as crafted, eliminates a nuisance, protects public health, makes us safer and/or protects the environment.

From my reading of the staff report, the current ordinance actually allows a nuisance—keeping roosters. It is clear from the report that responsible property owners that live on smaller parcels in the Village could keep a small backyard flock of hens without creating a nuisance and without any peril to general public health, safety or the environment. We have an ordinance that outlines reasonable ways that people can keep cats and dogs -- there is no reason for us to not create the same for a few chickens. So I am in favor of continuing the discussion to ensure that private property owners are treated equally and not unduly restricted by the current arbitrary ordinance.

Greg Hosé

Downers Grove residents have serious problems that need to be addressed. I am more than a little curious as to how this issue came to occupy so many village resources,including Council and staff time. This situation is probably a much better illustration of how residents view the inner workings of the current Council than it has anything to do with those residents who are interested in trying to raise and keep chickens. Despite how quickly chickens came to dominate so much of some of the commissioners’ and candidates’ public comments, the Council has clearly been reluctant to take any kind of firm stance on a controversial issue with an election coming up.

In terms of any changes to the ordinance itself, I believe we need to take several steps back from all of the rhetoric to following the established process and procedure for proper review.

That being said, I would support certain modest modifications to the ordinance provided that all residents immediately involved had a say. For example, a system based on neighbor consent could alleviate many concerns. Those who wish to raise chickens but live on a non-conforming lot would need the written consent of all contiguous property owners, who would agree to their neighbor’s activities for a defined period of time. I believe this sort of common sense, community-centered approach is a good first step until additional modifications can be calmly and rationally considered.

Any changes to the setback requirements of the fowl ordinance are almost guaranteed to come before the Plan Commission. As chair of that commission it is my personal responsibility to make sure that everyone who comes before us receives the full and fair hearing that their concerns deserve. This requires me to ensure that my colleagues and I do not base our judgments on preconceived opinion, but on the merits of the arguments brought before us, including the input provided to us by the public during that forum.Because of these commitments, I intend to be informed on the subject but will keep an open mind and reserve any judgment until such time as when specific changes to theordinance come up for actual review.

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