Review editorial: Chickens should have a place here
July 8, 2009
By Contributed
Yes, Sammamish is residential. Yes, Sammamish is now firmly a suburban area, but come on, hearing a neighboring chicken squawk and cluck is just not that terrible.
We are puzzled by the complaints of some residents who say that people in the city should not be allowed to keep livestock on their home properties. We also wonder why city leaders are going to spend time dealing with this non-issue. Don’t tinker with the city code – just let the chickens be.The issue came up when one neighborhood objected to a resident who wanted to turn their home into what would amount to a small farm. Certainly neighbors should ask appropriate questions before raising alarms, particularly about tree removal. But after hearing from both sides, we can only think that the neighbors probably imagined the chicken situation to be far noisier than what would have materialized.
That one instance notwithstanding, it’s wrong to think that a change to existing policies is in order. There are farm animals — chickens, horses, llamas, goats and more — living peacefully throughout Sammamish.
We certainly think the current regulation is appropriate. Types of allowed animals and the number of them should be considered carefully and factored in with lot size. Environmental clean-up rules should also apply. But we hope a zero-animal policy would never be considered, unless cats and dogs are included, too. Certainly barking dogs are louder and more disturbing than any coop of chickens.
The proposed change seems to arbitrarily target an animal based solely on the way it has historically been used by people. Preserving room for traditional “farm” animals will help Sammamish preserve its country roots. It may be an urban city, but most residents do appreciate the more rural feel.
Sammamish is not alone in allowing small farm animals. In Seattle, residents in neighborhoods exponentially more dense than Sammamish can have chickens and goats.
Certainly, Sammamish does not want to be Seattle, but if people there can bear the sounds and smells of a diverse animal population in tight quarters, certainly folks in Sammamish on quarter-acre lots can manage it.
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2 Responses to “Review editorial: Chickens should have a place here”
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If people want their immediate neighbors bound with strict covenants regulating how property is used, there are many such neighborhoods here in Sammamish. There is no need to change the current city regulations regarding “livestock,” they are more then adequate to prevent any noise or odors which are the primary concerns a person would have when a neighbor has animals.
Our chickens are our pets, they are contained on our property and much more quiet then even the area songbirds. We moved to Sammamish for the country feel, and I would hate to see restrictions arise to prevent people from raising chickens for eggs or goats for milk. More and more people these days like to know where their food is coming from, and eggs, milk, or produce from your own property is the best way to guarantee it is fresh and safe, and that the animals involved have been treated humanely.
The Backyard Chicken Forum is a fantastic website resource for anyone considering keeping a small “flock” of chickens.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/
Amy Cottrille
I have 7 hens and let me tell you they are much quieter and domestic than the dogs around us. We have dogs barking late into the night and many let their dogs loose to deposit their goods in other peoples yards or to knock over the neighbors garbage can in the morning – good grief. We raise chickens for the eggs and it is a learning experience for our younger daughter who is excited every time one of her hens lays an egg. If someone is going to tell me to depart with my chickens, than I say only if your dogs go first.