Chickens may have flown the coop as Edmonds moved to protect its urban identity. But today, backyard fowl can be the mark of the chic city dweller — and a city councilman is determined to bring hens home to roost.
Steve Bernheim told fellow council members at their Aug. 4 meeting that he is working with the Planning Board to repeal the city’s ban on possessing live poultry.
“I simply can’t find any reasonable basis for objections,” Bernheim said.
Keeping live chickens has been illegal in the city for decades, according to city staff. An ordinance written in 2001, detailing restrictions on poultry and other animals, said the measures were needed in order “to promote and protect the urban residential character of the city.”
But these days “cluck-cluck” can be heard alongside “woof-woof” in cities such as Everett and Seattle as more city dwellers take in egg-laying pets.
“Now it is part of our sustainability,” Bernheim said.
The city’s planning board heard a proposal that would legalize hens in June. Bernheim is encouraging the next step.
He suggested that a maximum of three hens per single family residence be considered. “I want the code to be written with simplicity in mind,” he said, pointing to the Seattle ordinance that enables hen groupings to be scalable depending on larger lot sizes.
“I am not proposing to run 20 to 30 roosters and turkeys. Our noise pollution ordinance would control those sorts of problems,” he said. “I urge the Planning Board to make their recommendation.”
Also at the meeting, public hearings for the 2002 Transportation Plan and the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program were held. Discussions on the two items will continue at the Sept. 1 meeting.
Council members believed that the Transportation Plan requires intensive review. They are exploring revisions, in particular to remove items covered by code, to maintain the visionary statement and policy tone of the plan.
Transportation improvement programs were listed for the council, including:
Ÿ The Interurban Trail: installing a missing sidewalk section between Shoreline and Mountlake Terrace. Construction is to begin next summer. Cost: $1.53 million, with a $1.2 million grant secured.
Ÿ 228th Street Southwest and Highway 99: create a safer left turn by installing a signal and pedestrian crossing. Construction is to begin next spring. Cost: $3.5 million.
Ÿ 196th Street Southwest and 88th Avenue West: install traffic signal or restrict movement to right-turn only on north- and southbound lanes. Design phase expected in 2012, pending a grant.
Other projects under consideration include street overlays, pedestrian countdown signals and bike route signage.
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