Monday, June 9, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 1
CITY COUNCIL
Backyard chickens approved for Ann Arbor

Residents can have
up to four hens, if
neighbors approve
By SARA LYNNE THELEN
Daily News Editor
Ann Arbor resident Susan Blake
stepped up to the podium at
Tuesday's City Council meeting
and made her presence known.
"I'm a chicken," she said.
Blake began clucking like an
agitated hen to demonstrate the
potential noise level of back-
yard chickens in Ann Arbor. Her
squawks bounced off the council
chamber walls, reiterating her
point as she finished her speech:
"I'm against chickens forseveral
reasons, but that's one of them,"
she said.
Despite some residents' fears
of noise, smelly manure, unsight-
ly coops and the avian flu, Ann
Arbor City Council voted 7-4
Tuesday to amend an ordinance
thatpreviouslybannedbackyard
chickens. When the amendment
becomes effective in 60 days,
Ann Arbor residents will be able
to keep up to four hens in coops
in their backyards with their
neighbors' consent. Chickens
could be kept as pets or for eggs.
"All the jokes are done with,
and all the real sustainable liv-
ing is now underway," said city
Councilmember Stephen Kun-
selman (D-Ward 3), who owns a
chicken and first sponsored the
ordinance change last Decem-
ber. "It shows that community
activism is still alive and well in
Ann Arbor."
About 15 residents spoke,
joked and broke chicken wish-
bones in front of the City Coun-
cil on Tuesday to show their
support for the chicken ordi-
nance. Many felt that back-
yard chickens would provide a
healthy and cheap alternative to
store-bought eggs and a learn-
ing experience for first-time hen
owners.
"I want my kids to understand
where their food comes from,"
said Ann Arbor resident Jenni-
fer Hall.
Molly Notarianni, the manag-
er of Ann Arbor's Farmers Mar-
ket,recently moved to Ann Arbor
from Portland, Ore., where back-
yard chickens are also legal. She

said she was not concerned about
urban chickens detracting from
business at the Farmers Market.
She enjoyed keeping chickens when
she lived in Oregon because their
eggs are delicious and they make
affectionate pets, she said.
"I found that they were very
quiet. Rather than being divisive, I
met a lot of people I wouldn't have

otherwise," shesaidinaninterview.
"It's a good way to build community.
I'mvery fortunate and grateful that
the city of Ann Arbor has decided
that they are important."
Residents who kept back-
yard chickens before the law was
amended would have been fined up
to $500.
Councilmember Leigh Greden

(D-Ward 3), who voted against the
ordinance change, said he believes
legalizing backyard chickens is
unnecessary because fresh eggs can
be bought at the Farmers Market.
"I believe the potential problems
outweigh the very few potential
benefits," he said, adding that most
of his constituents were against the
proposal. "I don't know how anyone

can say that this should be some-
thing we're spending time on."
CouncilmembersJoanLowenstein
(D-Ward 2), Stephen Rapundalo (D-
Ward 2) and Chris Easthope (D-Ward
5) also voted against the amendment.
Richard Fulton, an associate pro-
fessor at Michigan State University
specializing in avian diseases, said
See CHICKENS, Page 8


RANDOLPH COURT APARTMENTS
i6 2 Bedroom Apartment Homes
Ground Floor Ranch Style!
Private Entrance!
Patio!
Spacious Kitchen!
Air Conditioning!
Laundry Facilities!
24-Hour Emergency Maintenance!
Pets Welcome!
And much, much more!
Call today to reserve your new address!
734"97=-2828
Equal Housing Opportunity

Car Repal~r
" C-owv'Jet'twie IPutes
"* RFI Tt a adeto ctcu
* "aWtLLU owwed - 30 uears
Professional
A utomotiu ProAutoTechs.com
. i.u.') Technicians 734.665.9707
The Dnving Force in Au to Repairs

P" "" """ -" " -"" - ""- " - " - " - "- "" -" -"" - " -"" 7
1 I
' Any large salad Dine In'
with meat Carry Out1
Delivery (restrictions apply) I
I ~ O Catering I
S 8e95 JrCall for Reservations I
I I
All major credit cards accepted
I I

3 I7 ) I 6 I2 4 1 5I5
5 3 9 1
9 7 5
8 ~46
2 8 5 9 7