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YORKTOWN, N.Y. - A Yorktown woman is asking the Town Board to amend zoning regulations to allow a chicken coop at her home in the Croton Heights section of town.
Yorktown requires at least five acres to house chickens, yet a horse is allowed on only two acres, a rule that upsets Teresa Ambrose, who has lived in the town all her life.
"It doesn't make sense not to," Ambrose, 52, said of her request to make the laws similar. "It's not like we're asking to keep elephants."
Ambrose, who works at Hilltop Hanover Farm in Yorktown, said she has been looking to have a chicken co0p for about a dozen animals for the last seven or eight years since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which she said is in remission.
She said she only eats organic products and would like the opportunity to have fresh eggs in her backyard.
Board members were primarily receptive to Ambrose's request, noting she would need a special permit.
"I'm all for it. We just have to figure it all out," said Town Supervisor Michael Grace. "We can control the number of chickens by controlling the size of the coop."
However, Board Member Nick Bianco criticized the board's quick embrace, saying more thought needed to be given to setting a precedent.
"This is nuts. You have to have some restrictions here. Whose going to enforce it?" Bianco said. "Why don't we have gorillas? Why don't we have chickens fighting with each other?"
Comments (13)
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Indeed, she's not asking to keep elephants. How can a dozen of chickens possibly make any harm?
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Mr. Bianco, we're talking chickens here, not gorillas. I agree with Ms. Ambrose...Two acres for a horse and five acres for a few chickens? Mr. Bianco, get with the program...it's people like you who want to turn Yorktown, a town with a proud agricultural past, into a Bronx suburb...whats next - outlaw our dogs and cats? A few chickens out at Hilltop Hanover Farm will not disturb anyone.
the residents in ossining are NOT dealing with an "aggressive fox" ! the DEC *released* the female fox caught because it "wasn't acting erratically"; it was a case of people not being educated and acting on fear. similar to these posts.
to say 'let's have gorillas . . .' comparable to chickens is just ridiculous! and makes the case for ignorance.
issue yearly permits, limit the number of birds for the size of property/coop, don't permit roosters, even require bordering neighbors permission. now those would be reasonable restrictions.
The fox was released because the town didn't have the proper trapping permit required to relocate the animal. I agree that the fox was observed as healthy. You can ask the woman that was chased by the fox, fell and lost her teeth if the fox was acting aggressively. Just my opinion, but if you want chickens move to an area where you can do so within the parameters of the local zoning laws. There are farmers markets in Yorktown, Peekskill, Muscoot, and plenty of other nearby areas where you can get fresh farm eggs.
From the news reports, I got the sense that the woman panicked, and hurt herself. There was no mention of the fox chasing her, or acting aggressively.
Chickens eat TICKS! UGH!
What this article doesn't say is that this person a couple of months ago went out and bought a bunch of chickens and put a chicken coup in her back yard without getting any permits. In addition, the chickens were allowed to roost around the neighborhood and frequently wandered into the streets and onto other people's property.
I for one am against this request as I feel that having the livestock in such close proximity to the other homes will attract foxes and coyotes into the area to prey on the chickens and disturb the residents. I don't want to be out walking my dog at dusk or dawn and have an encounter with one of those animals. Talk to the residents in Ossining that have been dealing with a family of aggressive fox all season and ask them how that feels.
We already have wild rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, small birds, and other local wild prey animals present in our area. The presence of chickens does not attract predators to the area; predators are already here.
Interesting info, JCheech. I hadn't thought of those concerns. Do you know what, if any, enforcement action was taken by the town against the party that started raising chickens? I'm curious to know.
It seems that if some simple guidelines were set about fencing and minimum area requirements per bird, they could amend zoning to allow for it in residential (5 acres to have a couple chickens seems absurd). Sadly though, the town normally only bends the rules for insiders and commercial ventures. One could probably play a semantic game (a la the "winery") and say that a chicken is a pet and does not constitute a "farm" use. Perhaps it could be construed as a religious thing.
Is it true that Yorktown waived the acreage requirements for the St. George "winery" so it could be established in a residential zone (since changed to transitional)?
I believe the party that I alluded to is the party named in this article. Unless I am mistaken and there is a SECOND family in Croton Manor that is looking to raise chickens. I would think that the author of the article could answer your questions on what action was taken if it is indeed the same family, I would only be guessing. In my opinion, a fence would slow the predators from catching the chickens, however it would not deter them from the area, which is pretty densely populated.
With regard to the Winery, I really don't have any knowledge about that situation other than what I've gathered from the articles I've read. I have some recollection of the area being zoned as wetlands, though, not residential. I could be mistaken about that.
It is silly they don't allow it. My recommendation to Ms. Ambrose would be to just do it, raise chickens on her property. She never should have asked permission in the first place. There is literally no enforcement of the building code or zoning in Yorktown. My neighbor illegally converted two single family homes with no approvals or permits. The building department inspector wrote a letter that's on the record stating just that; the homes were converted "without approval or permit," per Inspector Sneyd. The tax assessor still classifies them as single family homes. I have written every town official and board dozens of times to complain for over two years. Nothing. Not a single enforcement action.
Just do it and ask forgiveness later; it's the Yorktown way. That's progress with preservation!
Many families across Westchester County already raise backyard chickens.
This short film highlights the benefits
https://vimeo.com/35990778
Its high time that Yorktown and other municipalities lighten the restrictions on this practice.
In Brooklyn NYC, you only need 10 square feet per bird to have backyard chickens. A backyard in Westchester is the perfect place to raise chickens for healthy eggs. Added bonus: Chickens eat TICKS!