Danvers Goat Decision Not Likely Until Spring Town Meeting

DANVERS, MA — Danvers town meeting members will likely have to wait until the spring town meeting to vote on a zoning law change that would allow a Hobart Street couple to keep Dean and Deluca, a pair of goats. Timothy Raesly and Brittany Dupon-Raesly presented selectmen with a petition earlier this month with more than 900 signatures asking them to put the article on a special town meeting for February. But town officials say that doesn't give the planning board and the board of health enough time to hold public hearings on the article.

Last month, the Massachusetts Land Court turned down the couple's appeal of a town decision ordering them to remove the goats from their Hobart Street property. The court denied a motion for summary judgement, ruling in favor of the town of Danvers's motion for summary judgement.

The Danvers Zoning Board of Appeals upheld a building inspector's decision that the goats violated Danvers zoning laws against animal husbandry on residential properties. The Raeslys appealed the decision to the land court last October.

The original complaint to the building inspector was filed by Lance Arlander of Pine Street. Despite a petition signed by more than 1,200 Danvers residents, the ZBA ruled last September the Raeslys were violating local laws by keeping Dean and Delucca, their two neutered goats, on their property.

Dupont-Raesly argued the goats were family pets not used for milk or breeding. Arlander claimed the animals attracted rats and snakes to the neighborhood and said he and his wife were concerned for the health and safety of their grandchildren.

The ZBA made it decision partly based on the reasoning that allowing the goats would create exemptions for people to keep other types of farm animals in residential areas.