Chickens and Bees Legislation - Public Meeting (West)

Submitted by Jeff Schuler on Sat, 11/22/2008 - 16:20.
12/03/2008 - 18:00
12/03/2008 - 19:30
Etc/GMT-5

West-side Public Meeting for Ordinance 1562-08: Restrictions on the Keeping of Farm Animals and Bees: new legislation for allowing chickens, bees, and other small livestock to be kept in city residents' backyards.

Hosted by Ward 13 Councilman Cimperman, Planning Director Robert Brown, and Morgan Taggart, OSU Extension.

This legislation is crucial to the development of our region's local food economy and the health of the city. The meeting is for City Council-people to assess their constituents' opinions on the matter.

See Cleveland's livestock ordinance Green City Blue Lake for more info on the recent developments, and to read a draft of the proposed legislation.

There are still elements of the proposal that the group driving this change would like amended, such as removing the registration process, building permits, and certificates of occupancy, and allowance of one rooster per resident.

Your support is greatly needed at the meeting, or by calling your councilperson to ask for her or his support.

Enter Franklin Circle Christian Church off Fulton Road.
Free Parking is available at lot south of Church building off Fulton.

See also: the East-side public meeting for the same issue, Nov 25th at St. Martin de Porres High School.

Location

Franklin Circle Christian Church
1688 Fulton Rd.
Cleveland, OH 44113
United States
See map: Google Maps
( categories: )

Livestock Update...

Submitted by Jeff Schuler on Sat, 11/29/2008 - 09:52.

(received this from Jocey Killbossy)

The City Council Planning Committee suggested several amendments to the ordinance on Monday. Planning Director Bob Brown has crafted some additional language to address the concerns of several members of city council. Their primary concerns were:

  • adding more work to the Building and Housing Department for licensing and enforcement
  • having to act as mediators between neighbors, if chickens became a nuisance
  • slaughtering animals for consumption
  • permission of the property owner
  • rodent impacts

Planning Director Bob Brown, Public Health Director Matt Carroll and Councilman Cimperman are working to address several of your concerns as well, especially regarding license, registration, and certificates of occupancy and the high fees. There is a draft currently circulating, based on your recommendations that would only require a registration form with the Health Department with a nominal fee. I got copies of Madison and Missoula's registration forms which require very basic information. I attached the form from Missoula and have also passed this onto City Planning as a model. There has also been discussion to alleviate concerns on both sides by creating a "sunset provision" that would allow this ordinance to be revisited in one year to evaluate what's working and what doesn't. This would also be an opportunity for you to make sure the policy works for you.

I encourage all of you to contact your Councilperson on this issue in the next week, whether you raise chickens or bees or not. Please contact your council members by phone, write letters, email and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same so they know what their constituents think about this issue. To find your councilperson call City Council at 216.664.2840 or on the web at Cleveland City Council: Find My Ward.

There has been a change in the meeting schedule. No council committee meetings are scheduled for Monday, December 1. The committees will hear and vote on the ordinance on Monday, December 8th, the last session of the year. Public support is essential at this meeting. If you know other chicken raisers and beekeepers ask them to come. Director Brown and Councilman Cimperman also suggested you bring your neighbors to discuss the impact or lack of impact these uses have on the neighborhood as this was a concern of several council members. I will send out the exact time once it has been confirmed.

A short piece also just aired on Channel 5: Keeping Chickens Could Get Easier In Cleveland.

And just a reminder of our second public meeting: on the West side, Wednesday, December 3rd at 6:00 pm.

Final voting on this legislation will happen:
Monday, December 8th
Cleveland City Hall, 601 Lakeside Ave in Cleveland

  • 11:00 am City Council Legislative Committee
  • Council Committee Room, 217
  • 2:00 pm Finance Committee
  • Council Committee Room, 217
  • 7:00 pm City Council
  • Council Chambers, Second Floor