Council tables proposed changes to town’s chicken ordinance after heated debate

The council voted unanimously to table proposed amendments to the town’s chickens/domestic-fowl ordinance and send the matter back to the ordinance committee after extended public comment and council discussion.

Debate focused on numeric limits and yard‑placement restrictions. Multiple members noted the current cap (6 hens) is effectively arbitrary and asked whether rules should be tied to coop/run density standards rather than lot size. One councilor summarized benchmarking guidance: "According to the USDA National Cooperative Extension... Chicken health and flock welfare are determined strictly by coop and run density, not by total property acreage." A council member also noted pending litigation elsewhere and urged caution: "There is a lawsuit, in Calais... it's the same ordinance... currently in a lawsuit." (transcript references Oliver v. City of Calais).

Supporters of loosening certain constraints argued small-scale poultry supports food resilience and that nuisance rules (odor, trespass) are the appropriate enforcement tool. Opponents requested time for more public input and specialized advice from poultry professionals. Councilors agreed that further public outreach and legal review are warranted and that redrafting should consider coop/run density standards, nuisance thresholds and enforcement practicality.

Why it matters: proposed changes touch many residents’ daily lives — from hobbyists to those concerned about nuisance impacts — and carry legal risk given a similar ordinance is being litigated elsewhere. The council’s decision to table preserves the existing ordinance while committing to broader community input and technical guidance.