Samantha Ilacqua loves fresh eggs and wants to have them available for her children -- like her mother had since she was in first grade -- and since Oakfield is a rural community, she believes that village residents should be allowed to own up to six egg-laying hens.
On Monday, she presented a petition signed by more than 40 other village residents asking the village trustees to change the zoning ordinance to allow hen-raising in the village.
"I feel like we should be able to have them in this rural community," Ilacqua said. "It's a right-to-farm community, and we should be able to have chickens in our own back yards, as long as they're fenced in cages and only six hens."
Here is a portion of the speech she gave to the village trustees at a previous board meeting:
Changing this law benefits both families as well as the Village of Oakfield. The Village of Oakfield can create income from allowing hens in the Village by charging for permits.
Families should be able to know where their food came from, as well as be able to raise their own food especially in these economic times. In January an eighteen count of eggs was $8.42.
Chickens are great for pest control in gardens (they eat ticks), as well as waste reduction as they can eat food that would normally end up in a landfill.
I know this topic has come up previously, and I could talk to you about statistics and proof of successful ownership in larger villages, but I think I would rather talk about why I am coming to you tonight.
I grew up in Bergen, New York. In 1999, My first-grade class hatched chickens, and my parents decided to build a coop. We took home those chicks that hatched. My parents have had chickens ever since. A Cambridge study even shows the nutritional value of fresh eggs versus commercial is consistently higher.
When my husband and I moved into our current residence, it wasn’t long before we decided we wanted chickens of our own. There really is nothing like raising the food that you eat, knowing where it came from and teaching your children the life lessons and responsibilities that come from owning pets. I was shocked to find out that in the Village of Oakfield, I was not allowed to have chickens at all, but if I lived in the City of Batavia, I would be allowed six hens.
I can not think of a better time than now to allow village residents the right to grow their own food. Eggs are a staple in homes. I personally believe the wording of, “farm animals” is broad. If you have ever been around chickens, they are quiet, about the same decibels as humans having a conversation. There is a huge difference between having a goat or cow in your backyard versus having a few chickens.
I am not sure why the board has denied previous requests of allowing chickens in the village. I have heard that one possible concern is that foxes could make their way into the village looking for the chickens. Research suggests that well-designed coops could mitigate that risk. I believe that education on the front end would avoid issues later on, such as a Hen agreement to be signed at the time of receiving a permit or even licensing the chicken coop by maintaining a building/zoning permit versus licensing the hens. Additionally, this could potentially generate some decent income for the village. Hunters obtain licenses and permit to hunt. Fishers obtain licenses to fish. Residents could obtain a permit to keep six hens.
Mayor Dave Boyle said the trustees will discuss the proposal at its May meeting and perhaps vote on it that night.
Photo by Howard Owens.
