Selectmen: 20 Goats Are Too Many Goats

Selectmen expressed concerns tonight about the number of goats proposed to be kept at 66 Brigham Hill Road.

Rebecca Wilson and John Wilson have applied to the Planning Board for a special permit to keep livestock at the Brigham Hill Road address.

They want to keep up to 20 goats and 20 chickens, all hens. They also want to keep a guard animal, possibly a llama, to protect their animals from dogs and coyotes.

The animals will be kept as pets and for milk and eggs, according to the application. They may occasionally be shown in 4-H fairs.

The property is located on 2.5 acres. The area is primarily used for residential and agricultural purposes, according to the application.

Selectman Christopher LeMay had no problem with the chickens, but raised concerns about the amount of goats proposed for the site.

Selectman Mary Ann Cotton agreed. "That's a lot of goats,'' she said.

The Wilsons also plan to build a  24 square-foot compost pile for manure. They plan to use  the compost for their gardens and fruit trees.

The issue is slated to go before the Planning Board, which requested selectmen's input on the issue.