Palatine Zoning Board Gives Backyard Hens Green Light

Palatine's Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a request by 33-year resident Steven Brosio to allow him to have egg laying hens in his backyard at 624 Hill Road. 

Vanessa Barsanti, whose similar request in November 2012 was voted down by the Palatine Village Council, attended the Tuesday night meeting. She too initially received unanimous approval from the zoning board. 

"I was proud and impressed that the zoning board made a very fair decision based on the facts," Barsanti said. "Steve got up and spoke, explained how he cared for the hens, how he hasn't had problems and ten other people including myself supported him." 

Barsanti said despite the 11 neighboring familes who signed a petition against the idea, a number of other neighbors who have lived in the neighborhood for 30 years or more, showed up in support of Brosio. 

"One of the nearest neighbors, the Flamm's, stated they had never heard the hens and there weren’t problems. Betty Flamm stated the only problems with predators in the area occur when trash bags were left out," Barsanti said. 

Michael and Denise Woodward, a husband and wife who signed the petition against backyard hens, Barsanti said, expressed concerns about property values, but said they had never been bothered or seen the hens.

Barsanti said she presented four letters from realtors and real estate appraisers who officialy stated backyard hens on a residential property would not diminish property values, but actually would attract people to Palatine because it shows the village has sustainability values.

In a previous Palatine Patch interview with Brosio, he stated he wanted to have enought time to be able to talk to his neighbors who either signed the petition or have expressed concerns about backyard hens. 

A date of January 21 was set for the issue to come before the village council, Barsant said.