Lafayette city leaders are considering a revision of a standing ordinance regarding the keeping of chickens and other beasties on single family properties as the ranks of suburban farmers favoring really fresh eggs and poultry appears to be swelling.
Clandestine clucks of chickens and small herds of goats and other critters have been secreted throughout Lamorinda and The Numbers as neighbors with land and a passion for Farm to Table cuisine raise their own despite standing restrictions on beehives and coops. Lafayette city officials, initially petitioned into a hardline stance against the local suburban farmer, are expected to consider easing their restrictions at their July 28 meeting, citing interest in “grow your own” farming while promising restrictions on noisy fowl and those Farm to Table foodies who are prepared to sacrifice their poultry in the name of freshness.
NEWS24-680 knows of several neighbors with (apparently, very quiet) goats, bees and chickens and they rave about the ability of harvesting one’s own honey or eggs. If passed, the revised ordinance will have restrictions on breed, sex, placement of coops and pens, odor control and other nicities needed for peaceful coexistence between small-plot farmers and any critter intolerant neighbors.
If you’d like to come out of the poultry closet and tell us about your suburban flock and ranching experience we’d like to hear from you. And if you want to take a look at the wording of the proposed revision, here it is.
