We're so close! Where we now stand is that we have five "yes" votes: Sally Mounier, Renie Peterson, Debbi Hunter Holen, Bob LeGare and Marsha Berzins. We need six votes to pass. In a tie (which we currently have with five) the mayor will vote (otherwise he doesn't vote) so we need a yes from Mayor Steve Hogan (303-739-7015) and/or another council member. The member closest to giving us a yes is Barb Cleland, 303-739-7524. Call your representative and each of the At Large members, let him or her know you support chickens, thank them for a yes vote, or ask them to consider chickens. Let them know why you support this change in the ordinance.
Next, we have 491 signatures on our online petition - let's hit 500 before the next study session meeting on February 10th! Get your friends and neighbors to sign the petition to legalize chickens in Aurora here.
So this Study Session: The ordinance change has come up in Study Session (a meeting of council members to hash out details), and changes have been proposed in the interest of compromising and making anti-chicken council members reconsider their position. The main changes are that the proposed ordinance would allow for only four chickens per household and that you would have to notify your neighbors (probably in writing by mail and they wouldn't have to approve it, just not fight your getting chickens) before getting chickens. You would have to purchase a permit, keep the coop and run clean, and keep your hens (no roosters) in the run at all times. There are two responses to this "let the neighbors know" bit: one, if that's what we have to agree to in order to get this thing passed, fine; two, you don't have to notify your neighbors if you want a dog or a cockatiel, so why chickens??? Let your council members know how you feel about the requirement to notify your neighbors about your getting chickens.
With a revised ordinance that at least six members of council can live with, we could legalize chickens in time for spring hatching!
However, if it gets turned down at this stage, the next step is to get it on the ballot for next November, and let citizens vote on it.
Sign, call, and recruit neighbors. Let the naysayers know that this isn't just a backwoods crazy plan to hick-ify Aurora, but a sustainable, popular movement that connects us with the land, our food, and our neighbors.
