How to Work with Your HOA

Now that we've convinced the city to allow hens (woot!), many of you who live in an HOA may want to try to change the board's mind about allowing hens. Most HOAs do not, at this point, allow them. The Aurora ordinance specifically says that HOAs have the right to override the city's ordinance on this issue, meaning they can say no.

If you want hens and cannot relocate to a new area, consider if you think you have a chance with your HOA. Then do what we have done with the city: talk to someone on the Board, get the word out to your neighbors, educate people (a great place is the speeches people gave at the City Council Meeting - starting at 1:00:27), get signatures from neighbors (find out if there is a specific format the HOA would like), and then present to the HOA.

From Daisy, one of our Chicks in Aurora members: "I was on the Board of Directors for an HOA, and the best way to get support, as others have said, is to talk to your neighbors first, ask them if they'd be for or against, and ask why. Then research, and have answers at the ready for when the same questions will come up in the HOA meeting later. A presentation with color graphics and photos will always help too! It's not impossible, that's the good news. We probably changed our minds and rules nearly 50% of the time based on solid facts. But the feelings of others can be very strong, and they may be the power as well, sooo... Prepare and be considerate and armed with knowledge and a smile."

It may take a while, but it's not impossible, especially as you prevent facts: well cared-for hens and well-made coops are not eye sores (cannot be seen from the front of the house at all!), and don't harbor disease or create too much noise. As HOAs see that it isn't a problem in the rest of the city, and as you educate your neighbors and get support, the likelihood of their allowing hens will increase.

Good luck!

March 2014 Update On Chickens Permits

Update on Chickens

From Neighborhood Services in Aurora:

Many people are eager to have backyard chickens, and we want to make certain our processes are all in place to make it easy for our residents.

The ordinance to permit up to 4 chicken hens on single family properties in residential zone districts was introduced and approved by City Council on February 24th.  The ordinance is on the March 24 City Council agenda for the final reading.  Upon approval at the final reading, it will become effective on April 28, 2014. We will use the Permit Counter on the 2nd floor. A working group is being formed to accomplish the following items to assure that we have our processes in place and ready for business once the ordinance is effective.  This will include the following:

1.    Work with IT to include chickens in the AMANDA Program data

2.    Determine if this permit can be done on-line.  (On-line permit may not be ready right-away)

3.    Design permit form

4.    Train staff at Permit Counter, Animal Care and Neighborhood Support on requirements to obtain a permit

5.    Work with Communications and Neighborhood Services staff to place information about chickens on the City Web

6.    Handling of complaints

Please let us know if you have questions.  Thank you.

So Impressed!! Ordinance Approved!

Thank you to the seventy or so folks who came to the City Council Meeting Monday night! Your speeches and our showing made a huge difference, and the three nays had to more or less apologize. The heartfelt speeches - including some awesome youth, a marine, and citizens from all over the city - were powerful! The ordinance was voted in - chickens will be approved in Aurora. We still have two more steps to take, but these should go through without problem. There is one more vote that has to happen but votes rarely change at this stage. When I get details from Sally Mounier I will post them. Then it has to be put into the code. Sally suggested that once it is approved, we can be fairly sure that it will become an official ordinance legalizing chickens this summer.

You did what???!!!

Nice work y'all!!

Please Call City Council Before Monday's Meeting

For our last, important push before Monday's vote (so today or tomorrow), please do the following, per Sally's urging: 

Here follows what I believe will work to impress Councilman Bob Roth.

This is a two step process:

1. Call the Aurora City Council Office at 303.739.7015 M-F between 8am – 5pm.  You will reach a live person.  Say “I am an Aurora citizen, and I am supporting the chicken ordinance.  Please count me in as in favor of allowing chickens."
2. Then ask to be connected to Bob Roth’s office.  You will leave a message saying, "My name is XXXX and I am a citizen of Aurora.  I hope you will change your mind and support letting us have a few hens.  Thank you."

This will do two things…let the council staff keep accurate, by the numbers, track of the support for or against chickens.  And two, will give Roth brief, concise messages that there is a great deal of support for chickens.

3. Lastly, I would ask the group to email Bob Roth the reason for their support for chickens.  His email address is robert.c.roth@gmail.com.  

That should have a positive affect on our efforts. 

Thanks, Sally

Arapahoe County Chicken Friends

There is another dedicated group of gallusfiles who are working to get backyard chickens approved in Arapahoe County. Their Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/ArapahoeChickens and their change.org petition is https://www.change.org/petitions/arapahoe-county-commissioner-nancy-doty-allow-food-producing-animals-in-arapahoe-county. If you are in Arapahoe county, please sign the petition and "like" the page. What Arapahoe County does will not affect those of us in the city of Aurora, even if you are in Arapahoe county, but all areas that allow chickens support each other.

We in the city of Aurora are down to the wire as far as getting the ordinance passed in the city. Please come to the City Council Meeting if you can to represent our group. You are encouraged to speak but do not have to - just your presence will speak your support. If you want to speak, you need to sign up just before the meeting.

City Council meeting
Date/Time:	Mon, Feb 24, 2014 7:30 p.m.
Location:	Council Chambers   Map 15151 E. Alameda Parkway Aurora, Colorado 80012 Event resides in Aurora.
Contact:	Janice Napper, 303-739-7094
A Study Session will be held prior to the City Council meeting. Information regarding the time and location will be posted as it becomes available.

COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO SHOW SUPPORT AND SPEAK

WE ARE THIS CLOSE BUT HAVE COME UNDER FIRE!

There is an Aurora City Council meeting on February 24th at 7:30 pm, where the ordinance to approve chickens will be voted on by council. It was approved in Study Session but can be voted down here - especially since there are members on council who are adamantly opposed and fighting dirty (twisting the truth and being really rude).

We really really really need you to show up for this council meeting. You do NOT have to speak, but are encouraged to do so. Sally Mounier is going to try and ask the supporters to stand. Bob Roth is also likely to rally people who are against this to be there (he is opposed and is organizing folks to fight it, despite the fact - and because of the fact - that we got our six yes votes we needed).

I know we are all busy and have our day to day lives, but this could really make or break us moving forward. PLEASE SHOW UP! Please consider speaking.

Sally Mounier has been working really hard to get things to this point, and is not planning on letting the ordinance stay where it is at (there are a few parts we don't really like that we have compromised on in order to get it passed.) There have to be compromises *at this point*. If this vote FAILS we will need to raise around $75,000 to *try* and get it on the ballot, during which time chickens will still be illegal. The ordinance as it stands gets our foot in the door.

Again, PLEASE COME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING ON FEB. 24th at 7:30 pm. If you want to speak in support of chickens in Aurora, you have to sign up before the meeting. Rally your neighbors, your friends and anyone you know that is able to show up.

If you're on Facebook you can let us know you will be coming if you like, https://www.facebook.com/events/636012036434366/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

If it gets approved at this meeting - which it should, but again, feelings are high about the issue - then the ordinance will go through one more vote and be approved.

________________________

City Council meeting
Date/Time:	Mon, Feb 24, 2014 7:30 p.m.
Location:	Council Chambers   Map 15151 E. Alameda Parkway Aurora, Colorado 80012 Event resides in Aurora.
Contact:	Janice Napper, 303-739-7094
A Study Session will be held prior to the City Council meeting. Information regarding the time and location will be posted as it becomes available.

January 2014 Update on the Movement to Allow Chickens in Aurora

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.