Dec. 17, 2018 – West Bend, WI – Chickens are going to be a hot topic at tonight’s West Bend Common Council meeting as aldermen revisit whether to allow neighbors to raise chickens within the city limits.
City officials have voted on this topic before.
In March 2017 the council voted against allowing chickens. A number of people spoke in favor but aldermen “were not in favor of changing the ordinance for a small number of people who might want to raise chickens. They talked about how animals shouldn’t be confined and if people want to raise livestock, they should find property in town or outside city limits. They also were concerned about predators, rodents, smell and enforcement.
The chicken issue is the seventh item on Monday’s agenda. Click HERE for the full agenda.
District 1 alderman John Butschlick is strongly against the idea. “We had a farm with chickens and the feces smells, they draw rodents and they definitely will draw fox to the city and dogs will chase chickens down if they get loose. This is going to create a total nightmare,” he said.
District 2 alderman Mike Christian said he is in favor of allowing chickens. “Unless I hear some really powerful opposition,” he said.
Monday’s meeting is open to the public. It begins at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 1115 S. Main Street, West Bend.
Photo courtesy Ephemera Obscura
