Today, our efforts to legalize backyard chickens in La Mesa were written up in the San Diego Union Tribune:
La Mesa stays mostly a no-chicken zone
New general plan may bring change
by Michele Clock
Few chickens will be crossing La Mesa's borders to make their homes in the city - at least any time soon.
The La Mesa City Council this week agreed to postpone a decision on extending the areas where the feathered, two legged creatures can legally live. Under the city's current zoning regulations, up to 20 chickens can live in a couple of semirural residential sections of the city with large lot sizes east of state Route 125, but not the rest of the city.
Officials said changing the regulations could cost the city an estimated $20,000 and that it would make more sense to look into the changes as part of a larger discussion about health, wellness and sustainable food production in the coming years as officials update the city's general plan.
Bill Chopyk, the city's director of planning and development services, suggested the city also look into its policies on other animals.
"We feel right now is not the right time to amend the zoning ordinance for chickens and hens," Chopyk told the council at a meeting Tuesday. "We think a more comprehensive approach to all animals and agriculture is probably the way to go."
The issue arose out of a request by a La Mesa resident last month to allow chickens in residential areas. Jill Richardson, 29, who recently moved to the city, wrote in a three-page letter to the city that she would like to keep up to six chickens as pets and to produce eggs. She wrote that the eggs may be more healthy than store-bought varieties and that the chickens take care of things such as bugs and kitchen scraps and provide natural fertilizer.
The next step is to generate Letters to the Editor of the paper. If you'd like to write one, particularly if you're located in San Diego county, please send an email to letters@uniontrib.com. Make sure your letter doesn't exceed about 150 words and include your name, address, phone, and email. Hopefully we can generate more awareness about this issue in our city as well as in other cities in San Diego county.
From what I've seen, to date, there's been a misreading of many local municipal codes by chicken enthusiasts. There are two parts of the code to look at. First, check the section on animals, which tells which animal are prohibited entirely and provides some other definitions (such as what falls under the category of "ordinary housepet"). If you only look there, it appears that most cities within San Diego county DO allow chickens. But you also need to check the zoning section of the municipal code and find out what the permitted uses are for each residential zone. In our city, only the larger lots allow chickens. Same with the nearby city of El Cajon.
Previous installments of The Chicken Project:
Part 1: Initial Planning for Chickens
Part 2: Oops, it's not legal
Part 3: My public comment at City Council
Part 4: My letter to the city
Part 5: Bad News
Part 6: City Council Tables the Issue |
