'Chicken Outlaw' Appeals to Mayor and Council

Former "" Jeff DelVecchio appeared before the mayor and council Monday night asking them to consider forming a Green Team as part of becoming a Sustainable Jersey community.

Sustainable New Jersey is a certification program for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term. 

Standing before the mayor and council, DelVecchio cited Lyndhurst as a town that allows backyard chickens--they are licensed like dogs and cats. He also mentioned one man's fight in Wayne that mirrors his. Wayne allows the keeping of up to 25 chickens on two or more acres, but resident has three hens on a much smaller lot and is fighting to get the ordinance changed to make Wayne a more sustainable place to live.

That is DelVecchio's goal. To make New Milford a more sustainable community. The DelVecchio's have installed solar panels, they drink organic milk, use only organic diapers, have two compost bins, and recycle everything that can be recycled. Also, rather than erecting a fence to enclose their backyard, they planted bamboo to create a natural border. They also plant a vegetable garden so that their family has fresh vegetables all summer long. 

For DelVecchio, hens fit into the cycle of sustainability. The freshly laid eggs are a healthier alternative to store bought, and the shells can be used for fertilizer.

Bolstered by Board of Health liaison Randi Duffie telling him that the Board of Health will discuss the ordinance prohibiting backyard chickens, DelVechhio is hoping that they will consider changing the ordinance. 

"I'm not going away," DelVecchio told the mayor and council. "I'm going to continue to fight to change the law."