The Chicken Debate Goes Before the City Council

The following is a copy and paste from an email sent out by Barbara Palermo with Chickens in the City


City Hall on Monday (May 11th)

We have read the city staff report and recommendation. This is what will be presented to the Mayor and councilors on Monday night. After having reviewed the long-awaited report and a private meeting with Council Brad Nanke this morning, here’s the scoop:

The city staff report warns council that if we pass this ordinance the number of chickens will go up which would lead to an increase in the number of complaints, and therefore cost to the city (despite all the evidence we’ve provided that indicates that won’t be the case). The staff does, however, recommend a public hearing be set for June 15th, probably because of the overwhelming support we have shown thus far.

We are listed on Monday night’s agenda under Consent Calendar, Item 4.3 (b) which is very early on in the meeting so there won’t be much waiting this time. Normally, all items listed on the Consent Calendar (in this case, seven items including chickens) are passed collectively and proceed as recommended by staff. This means we would get our public hearing on June 15th. However, any councilor could decide to €œpull an item€ off the calendar for further discussion and offer a substitute motion. Brad does not want to pull the chicken item and offer any other motion because we don’t have enough votes for it to pass since Councilor Cannon won’t be present Monday night. We are hoping nobody pulls the item and the councilors accept the recommendation as is. But if someone does pull the item, they would have to get 4 more councilors to back them up, which is unlikely (a tie vote 4 to 4 would not pass).


Prior to all this, we have the opportunity to speak (this time during Item #3, public comment on an agenda items). We can only speak about what the staff recommended, nothing else. We will not be discussing why we think chickens should be allowed or all the good reasons for it. We will simply say we want a public hearing on June 15th. This only requires one speaker, but a lot of support. I will urge council to let the issue go forward and ask that everyone in the room who agrees with me, to please stand. This is where you come in. Please come to show your support. The entire thing should only take a half hour or so and then we can all leave.

What then? Well, we have one month to prepare for the BIG DAY, our public hearing on June 15th. During that time we should continue to collect petition signatures. You can download a petition off the Salem Chickens yahoo group page, or ask me for one directly. We need to have a table in front of the public library every non-rainy Saturday between now and then to get as many signatures as possible.

We need volunteers to work 2-hr shifts. All materials, table, chair, etc., will be provided. All you have to do is chat with people and let them sign the petition. Please consider doing this!


At the public hearing we need to absolutely fill the room because the opposition will be invited to speak as well. The news media will be there too. This will be a really big event. There has to be way more of us than them! You don’t have to sign in or speak. I will have speakers lined up; the rest of you just need to sit until we ask supporters to stand. It’s simple, but REALLY IMPORTANT. This will be a long night, as we will hash out the exact wording of the ordinance, decide if a permit is required, and all the gory details. They will decide that night which route to take. In other words, should this be added to the code as a special use (like pot-bellied pigs), change the definition of livestock, make an entirely new ordinance (which might include listing hens along with other permitted pets), etc. Anything could happen. Whichever route they ultimately decide on that night

will require a code change, which requires a 45-day waiting period, mandated by the state, before it can go to the Planning Commission (around August 1st).

The Planning Commission will then make a recommendation to council. They can a) recommend it pass as proposed; b) recommend it pass with some modifications; or c) recommend it not pass in which case it will come back to council for further discussion and we start all over.

There is absolutely no way to avoid the public hearing / 45-day waiting period. We discussed in great detail all possibilities and this is what we are stuck with. Forest Grove is having their public hearing (using our research) on May 18th. Watch and see how theirs goes.


I will keep you posted. But for now, please come May 11th and mark your calendars for June 15th .