Beaking news: City gnaws on chicken laws

To hear Annette Barnes tell it, one might think she was petitioning for a special permit for new construction.

“… a minimum of 20 feet from any habitable structure on an abutting parcel of property,” Barnes cited during public comments at the Coeur d’Alene City Council meeting Tuesday.

“Please consider an amendment to the city …” she urged.

“I think it may be time to review the city code …” she later added.

The language Barnes chose was not unusual, by any means, ordinarily repeated by engineers or project managers. But Barnes’ point was anything but ordinary.

“I believe the chicken code needs to be revised at this time,” she told the council, “as it only pertains to noise and foul odors and number of chickens.”

Barnes was correct. Coeur d’Alene does, indeed, have certain restrictions on chickens.

“It’s interesting you bring it up at this time,” Mayor Steve Widmyer said. “I was doing some research on the hundred years of Coeur d’Alene and looking back into 1920, and they were discussing chickens a hundred years ago. At that time, I think there were too many chickens running loose in the neighborhood, and they wanted to coop them up.”

People in Coeur d’Alene care about chicken laws because people in Coeur d’Alene care about chickens. Scattered within subdivisions off Government Way, less than a block off Sherman Avenue, near the base of Tubbs Hill and even in an apartment off Ramsey Road, some residents of this city are crazy for chickens.

Barnes’ concern was not about chickens themselves, but about how her neighbors’ chicken coop butted up against her fence right next to her bedroom window. The scents of chemicals and chicken droppings from the yard next door have become what she describes as a nuisance.

“I realize people today like the experience of eating their own eggs and knowing what the chickens eat, as well,” Barnes said. “I get it. So I am not here to abolish the acceptance of chickens. I think it may be time to review the current code by adding restrictions to the placement of the coop and the run in relation to neighboring property, especially a dwelling.”

Coeur d’Alene’s laws require its chicken owners to follow very particular requirements. Not unlike barking dogs, the noise can’t reach a point where backyard chickens cross the line and disturb the peace. Residents are not required to possess a permit to own chickens within the city limits. Residents may own up to two chickens, turkeys, geese, pigeons and ducks, but roosters are prohibited.

Candace Godwin isn’t breaking the law. The backyard of her Second Street house is home to her two-chicken maximum, Ina and Julia, in a brand-new chicken coop complete with two stories, padded bedding and a slide-out removable litter box. The backyard’s fence stretches 6 feet high, blocking out the urban landscape and protecting an overflowing garden, a sitting area and the chickens. Godwin — the head of a local marketing company and the driving force behind her blog, The Coeur d’Alene Coop — said caring for chickens has been a lifelong dream.

But with that dream comes a responsibility. Godwin’s blog details points to consider when debating whether to raise chickens, one of which begins with neighbors.

“When we decided that we were going to get chickens, I went next door, and I told her that we were going to get chickens, and was that OK? And thankfully, it was not a problem. She said, ‘Sure, no problem.’”

Starting and maintaining lines of communication is critical, Godwin added, to keeping a healthy relationship with neighbors.

“We’re fortunate where we are right now,” she said. “Our yard is completely fenced. We don’t have to worry about dogs seeing our chickens and barking at them."

City code doesn’t allow having unsanitary conditions, and Godwin — standing in an immaculate backyard — said she’s seen uninhabitable living conditions, a symptom of chicken owners who simply aren’t ready.

“When you’re starting out, you need to ask yourself, ‘What’s your motivation?’” she said. “If it’s just because you want fresh eggs, you may want to consider shopping at the farmers’ market. This isn’t cheap. You have to get a lot of eggs and sell a lot of eggs in order to recoup your investment.”

Barnes made a formal request Tuesday, one that might mean changes for the chicken-loving population in Coeur d’Alene.

“My request is that the council and planning director add a setback restriction concerning chicken coops and runs in relation to property lines and dwellings, and that current coops and runs cannot be grandfathered," she said.

Barnes’ request piqued enough interest for Widmyer to ask her to leave her information with the city. Now, the city will consider changes to its code.

“We’ve cooped them,” Widmyer told Barnes as she ended her comments, “but now we might need something different.”