|
|
|
Which came first — the chicken or the egg?
Well, before either of those, according to the Washington City Council, there needs to be an ordinance revision and code amendment for either to exist within the city limits.
Part of the city council meeting Tuesday included a proposal from a Washington resident who lives on Colt Drive, who wants residents within city limits to be able to raise between four and six chickens for “egg-laying purposes only.”
The coop would be no closer than 25 feet from the neighbor’s closest dwelling; no roosters would be allowed.
The resident said it would be a similar ordinance to the one East Peoria officials have been discussing for more than a year.
“Right now, you can only have chickens in an (agriculture) district,” said Washington Planning and Development Director Jon Oliphant. “It specifically says for any of our residential districts that no poultry is allowed ... essentially the raising of any farm animals is not allowed, short of ... what we’d consider farm crops.”
City Administrator Bob Morris said for anything such as this to happen, it would take an ordinance revision and a code amendment.
While there was not much discussion from the city council on the issue, a few aldermen did comment.
“It’s not a like or dislike of chickens or eggs, but it’s having chickens or livestock in the city limits to have potential to draw predators like coyotes — and that would be a concern to residential areas,” said Alderman Bob Brucks. “Even if they’re in a hen house, the smell carries.”
Mayor Gary Manier said the ordinance as it is written now is “right spot on today,” but he said he would have the Planning Commission discuss the issue as a non-voting item at the Feb. 1 meeting.
“I think it’s something that at least warrants some looking into,” said Alderman Ken Newman.
Donelle Whiting and Jodi Adams from Created Just By Me do-it-yourself art studio on the Square also addressed the council wanting to have the liquor ordinance amended to include what they consider a “BYOB establishment.”
“We have people who come in for a date night or ladies night and would like to bring snacks and something to drink. We don’t provide it, we don’t serve it, we don’t touch it ... they bring it in, sip a little wine, paint their pottery and have a good time,” Whiting said.
Which came first — the chicken or the egg?
Well, before either of those, according to the Washington City Council, there needs to be an ordinance revision and code amendment for either to exist within the city limits.
Part of the city council meeting Tuesday included a proposal from a Washington resident who lives on Colt Drive, who wants residents within city limits to be able to raise between four and six chickens for “egg-laying purposes only.”
The coop would be no closer than 25 feet from the neighbor’s closest dwelling; no roosters would be allowed.
The resident said it would be a similar ordinance to the one East Peoria officials have been discussing for more than a year.
“Right now, you can only have chickens in an (agriculture) district,” said Washington Planning and Development Director Jon Oliphant. “It specifically says for any of our residential districts that no poultry is allowed ... essentially the raising of any farm animals is not allowed, short of ... what we’d consider farm crops.”
City Administrator Bob Morris said for anything such as this to happen, it would take an ordinance revision and a code amendment.
While there was not much discussion from the city council on the issue, a few aldermen did comment.
“It’s not a like or dislike of chickens or eggs, but it’s having chickens or livestock in the city limits to have potential to draw predators like coyotes — and that would be a concern to residential areas,” said Alderman Bob Brucks. “Even if they’re in a hen house, the smell carries.”
Mayor Gary Manier said the ordinance as it is written now is “right spot on today,” but he said he would have the Planning Commission discuss the issue as a non-voting item at the Feb. 1 meeting.
“I think it’s something that at least warrants some looking into,” said Alderman Ken Newman.
Donelle Whiting and Jodi Adams from Created Just By Me do-it-yourself art studio on the Square also addressed the council wanting to have the liquor ordinance amended to include what they consider a “BYOB establishment.”
“We have people who come in for a date night or ladies night and would like to bring snacks and something to drink. We don’t provide it, we don’t serve it, we don’t touch it ... they bring it in, sip a little wine, paint their pottery and have a good time,” Whiting said.
“The problem is that we were blissfully ignorant that we weren’t allowed to do this until this was pointed out to us by another business on the Square. We’d like to be able to tell people that it’s OK to bring something with them to drink.”
Whiting said she was afraid by not allowing patrons to bring in their own alcohol, they were losing business to a similar studio in Peoria Heights that currently does allow it.
“We don’t want ... people from our side of the rive to go across the river,” she said. “We want to build up the Square and bring people in. If we have to tell them no, they’re just going to go somewhere else.”
Manier and Alderman Jim Gee both said they thought the idea was a good one.
“I think the concept is great and maybe we can look at Peoria Heights and see how they allow it,” he said. “I know there are ways to write ordinances such as that. I don’t see a real hang-up here ... to see how we can get it to fit.”
“I think it would enhance our Square and help bring people in,” Gee said. “I think we need to look into it and maybe it needs to go through the Public Safety Committee.”
In other items, the council:
• Approved the resolution to execute two cash rent farm leases with Northtown Farms Inc., formerly Glen-Aire Farms Inc., for the Blumenshine and Tarvin farms for the 2012 growing season.
The agreements provided lease payments to the city in the amount of $31,000 and $10,491.80 for Blumenshine and Tarvin farms respectively.
