‘They are my family.’ 10-year-old sparks change in College Township chicken ordinance
After a near eviction, Purple, El, Waffles and Banana are welcome as College Township residents — all thanks to a 10-year-old.
“Chickens may not seem like much, but they mean a lot to me,” Maeve Elliott told the township council during Thursday’s virtual meeting. “They are not just food; they are my family.”
Maeve wrote her first letter about chicken keeping to College Township when she was 8 years old. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, her parents gave in to what they realized was a permanent “chicken phase” with four baby chicks. Since becoming part of the family, Maeve’s mom Jackie said the animals — uniquely named and affectionately dubbed the side-eye queens — have provided them with “a wonderful learning experience, lots of laughs and the best fresh eggs” they’ve ever had.
But in May, a township zoning officer informed the family that the chickens were a violation of an old zoning ordinance that didn’t allow properties under 10 acres to farm and forbade “the raising and keeping of livestock and poultry.” Threatened with a $500 per day fine unless they surrendered the animals, the Elliotts called attention to a decadelong issue by appealing to the zoning hearing board and challenging the township ordinance.
Unsure how long the process could take, the family moved to Halfmoon Township to ensure the chickens could stay with Maeve. But they kept fighting the ordinance.
Nearly eight months later, College Township Council unanimously voted to approve an updated ordinance that permits chickens and hens in residential areas.
Anticipated to go into effect — after minor revisions — within days, the ordinance includes detailed guidelines for how coops are to be constructed, where they are permitted and limits residents to no more than four chickens or hens per lot. To keep the animals, residents must apply for a zoning permit, submit a site plan and acquire a license to be renewed every three years. The township will waive permitting and licensing fees if the applicant can prove they attended and completed an educational course on the keeping of chickens.
Councilman Paul Takac said the township has received more feedback on the chicken ordinance than any other issue. He added that staff considered disease transmission, best practices, noise, property values and aesthetics while drafting the ordinance.
Several residents expressed concern with a piece of the ordinance that would let staff investigate properties with chickens and hens to ensure they are following guidelines, but zoning officer Mark Gabrovsek said he has no intentions of “spending the day working through people’s yards” unless the township receives a complaint.
“This was an incredibly deliberate process, and it wasn’t a deliberate process because we don’t have anything else to do or staff has anything else to do,” council chair Eric Bernier said, noting that there are “quite a few people” who are opposed to the ordinance. “We were very deliberate because we wanted to try to investigate and analyze all aspects of the opposition using data and science.”
The final draft addresses “at least the most vocal points that were made in opposition to this,” Bernier said. A chicken ordinance was presented twice during Bernier’s time on the governing body, and historically, the township planning commission was unable to reach a consensus on the issue, but the most recent proposal is “very different” and reflects input from the community and staff.
Maeve — along with residents like Jackie Bonomo, who has tried to change the ordinance for years — is thrilled.
“This may not seem big; I know they are just pets, but they are something that I can talk to when I need to talk,” Maeve said. “For example, if I’m crying, I know that I can go to them and talk about why I am sad. And then, they will make me feel better by talking in their little chicken language. It makes me laugh, and I feel better.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 7:51 AM.
