Northport Village proposes new local law regarding chickens, ducks and other birds

The Northport Village Board of Trustees is having its second public hearing on the introduction of a new local law regarding the ownership of chickens, ducks, pigeons and other birds at tonight’s Village Board meeting. The law defines how many chickens or other birds a Village resident is allowed to keep on his or her property, how their housing must be set up and maintained, and how their food must be stored.

The new law was first discussed at the May 18 Village Board meeting, but the board agreed that some articles had to be reworked before it could be brought to a vote. In the original proposal, selling chicken eggs would not be permitted and residents would not be able to keep more than eight chickens or other birds, even if they lived on a property larger than half an acre. Those two sections have been revised and the newest version of the law will be presented to the public at tonight’s meeting.

The proposed local law reads as follows:

(A) It shall be unlawful to cause, permit or allow chickens or ducks to be kept in such a manner as to constitute a nuisance or to create a hazard to public health or in any manner which either, injures or endangers the birds or which cause a persistent, disturbance of the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of the public.

(B) Regulations.

(1) No person shall keep, maintain, house or possess more than eight (8) chicken, pigeons, ducks or birds per half acre of property, or any combination of birds on any premises.

(2) All pens, coops or houses maintained for the keeping of chickens or ducks in all zoning districts shall comply with the setback and side yard requirements set forth in the Northport Village Zoning Code for an Accessory Structure.

(3) The pens, coops or houses in which such chickens or ducks are kept must be cleaned regularly and maintained in a sanitary condition, free of refuse, debris and any other dirt or excess food, so as not to endanger the public health and safety.

(4) Feed must be stored in commercially acceptable containers and securely covered. Refuse shall be kept in commercially acceptable containers with covers or used as garden compost.

(5) There shall be no less than three (3) square feet of floor space per chicken or duck in any pen, coop or house in which such chickens or ducks are kept. The pen, coop or house shall be large enough to provide adequate access for cleaning and egg collecting.

(6) Pens, coops or houses shall be located in rear yards and screened from the view of surrounding residences and surrounding streets by a fence or by shrubs, unless said pen, coop or house is located in such a manner as not to be visible from the surrounding residences and streets.

(7) Chickens and ducks and all fowl shall be confined at all times to the property on which they are kept, possessed or maintained.

(8) Any chickens or ducks maintained, housed or possessed and all eggs produced from said chickens, or ducks shall be for the sole use and consumption of the homeowner or tenant in possession.

(9) In no instance will roosters be permitted.

A violation of any provision of this Statute shall be subject to a fine of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00). Any second violation of this Statute within a five-year period of time shall be subject to a fine of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).