Palatine Council to Vote on Backyard Chickens
A Palatine couple would like the village to allow them to have backyard hens.
The Palatine village council will vote on Aug. 6 whether to grant a special use permit that would allow a Palatine residence to house chickens in their backyard.
Vanessa and Jason Barsanti appeared before the Zoning Board of Appeals July 24 to plead their case to use a chicken coop to house chickens for egg production for personal use.
The Barsantis, who live near the intersection of W. Daniels Road and S. Elm Street, have a large garden and several trees on their half-acre property.
The couple delivered a presentation to the board that addressed main concerns members may have regarding health, safety and noise concerns.
"The primary concern is salmonella, however, this is no more a concern than eggs that you buy in stores," Vanessa said. "It can easily be avoided by proper refrigeration, proper sanitation with us washing our hands and proper cooking of the eggs. It is not transmitted by air—it is only transmitted by touch and this wouldn’t be an issue for anyone other than the people coming into contact with our coop, which would be my husband and myself."
The zoning board unanimously recommended approval and village staff suggested the following conditions:
- Roosters prohibited from the property.
- The chicken coop should not exceed 50 square feet and shall be included as part of the lot coverage and building coverage for the property.
- The coop shall only be located in the rear yard and must be set back a minimum of 20 feet from the property lines and a total of 40 feet from any other adjacent principal structures homes.
- The coop shall be screened with either a 6-foot fence or densely planted landscaping in a manner acceptable to the Village of Palatine.
- The perimeter fencing along the side and rear yard of the subject property shall remain in place while the Accessory Unique Use is in existence.
- A maximum of six hens allowed.
- A business and operations plan shall be submitted in a manner acceptable to the village of Palatine and shall include specific details addressing the regular maintenance and cleaning of the structure.
- Any eggs produced shall not be used for business or commercial purposes.
- In addition to zoning approval with the village of Palatine the property owner shall obtain all other required permits and registration and provide proof of registration with the Illinois Department of Agriculture Livestock Premises Registration to the Village Environmental Health Department.
- The slaughter of hens at the property shall be prohibited.
The Palatine village council will vote on the matter at its August 6 meeting at 7 p.m. at 200 E. Wood Street.
tanya ligouri
6:25 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
How wonderful!!!!
Gina
7:29 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Excellent! I hope this will apply to all residents of Palatine.
Linda
7:50 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Buy a farm
Louanne
8:15 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
I think its a great idea! I hope they get the approval, but I also hope they allow other Palatine residents to house chickens as well. As long as the residents are given the codes and proper instructions on how to care for their chickens, it could be a good thing.
Vanessa
11:02 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Thanks for the story Savannah! And for the support Tanya, Gina, and Louanne! Unfortunately it won't apply to all residents as the Village would absolutely not consider a blanket ordinance change. However, the current ordinance prohibiting chickens will add a clause that says with village approval (meaning a special use application) you may have chickens. If you are interested in also having hens get in touch through our Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/BringBackyardHensToPalatineIl - and I will happily send you the materials we put together for this effort.
Mary Pahlke
12:34 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Chickens are really quiet animals and can provide a great deal of entertainment, along of course with great fresh eggs.
Kirstin Larson
12:57 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Congratulations, sounds like all your work toward this is paying off! How exciting!!
qui me amat
2:29 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
HAS EVERYONE LOST THEIR MINDS???? Who did these people pay off at the Village of Palatine that they would even consider this? They are just opening the door for much more.
Louanne
3:51 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Have you even read the article or Vanessa's post before responding? Obviously not.
Vanessa
12:20 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Wow, accusing us of a bribe? We are happy to talk about valid concerns, but you have zero right to defame people like that.
Christine Wilson
4:10 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
I vote for chickens!
Kate
8:50 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
I think that it is so wholesome to be able to provide for yourself and your family on such a basic level. Americans have fed thier families for hundreds of years this way we have just lost sight of it in modern day convience. I love this idea! The chicken that most Americans are consuming comes from disgusting factories and are genetically modified to produce more meat and eggs. Home grown is so healthy. It's really no different than having a garden and growing your own food. It's traditional and basic.
Jim
9:40 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
If you want a farm, go out and buy a farm and raise chickens. Then let us know how your doing when you get the lung problems from breathing in the dust from their waste. Chickens will bring disease and rodents into the immediate area, not to mention the stink of their waste. Are you going to winter them over? If so, will you be running electrical to the coop for a heat lamp to keep them warm and provide them water? A fire hazard. Or are you going to do what the farmer does, come winter they go into the Campbell's soup pot! If you want organic eggs go to the store and buy some. What are you going to do when the neighbors dog decides to make a meal out of your pet? Or the raccoon or coyote? Going to pay for the neighbors garden when your pets get out and dig up the plants? How are you going to keep them from flying around the neighborhood? Are you going to sit there and trim their wing feathers? Wait till PETA hears your doing that. This is a bad idea that has no good out come. Wait till your neighbor goes out to their new BMW and finds your chicken on top of it, leaving a present and a few scratches in the paint. Chicken waste will eat the paint right off. What will you do when the neighbors child wants to hold Henretta and gets a scratch that becomes infected because of the waste on her nails?
Louanne
11:02 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
That was the funniest story I've read in a long time. Thanks for the laugh.
JJ Hawk
11:12 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
That was one of the best rants in a while. Very misinformed, but very entertaining!
Adrienna
11:40 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
You are a good entertainer!!
Louanne
11:17 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
@JJ, yes you are right. :o)
Jim
7:59 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Misinformed? Then you have never worked on a farm or read the CDC website on raising chickens. Guess you will be telling everyone it is wrong that chickens carry lice and mites. That I am wrong about them going into the soup pot, that poor little Suzy Hen raised on a free range farm is not sent off to slaughter at the end of year as she will not produce as well as next year. Get out of your yuppie McMansions and get a dose of reality. Guess I am misinformed on the wildlife going after them for food, or that chickens will begin to prefer to roost in your trees? Hmmmm, only raised them for 15 years.
Louanne
11:13 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
BMW's? McMansions? You need the dose of reality if that's all you think Palatine is. If this family wants to raise chickens and it is a special use permit for them and the village says its ok, then let them have it. They're the ones who will have to deal with repercussions if something happens not you. Have a nice life.
Red Dog
9:39 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
I say fine - let them have their chickens, just as long as the village oks me having one or two sheep or goats.......I would love to go green for mowing the lawn, not to mention not having to mow it myself. 8>)
janice
4:06 pm on Saturday, August 11, 2012
I vote for chickens...as long as it is monitored by the village and they follow all the rules then it should be fine.
JoAnn
1:00 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
Bottom line if you live in a residential area then it is just that ....residential. If you want to have farm animals then you should live in a rural area where this is allowed. I believe that allowing this is setting a precedence and if someone wants goats or sheep it could create a nightmare for the village.