Blaine residents could keep chickens under new ordinance

ZOE FRALEY - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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BLAINE - City officials are considering a proposed zoning amendment that would allow residents to own up to six chickens - hens, but not roosters.

"We have pretty consistently, every month or two, received one or two phone calls asking if it's legal to have chickens in the city and requesting to have chickens in the city," said Blaine permit manager Michael Jones. "There was such a persistent interest by the public that we addressed it with the planning commission, and they seemed to think it was reasonable."

The prospect of allowing most single-family residents to have up to six hens was received favorably at a public hearing June 11. The planning commission wants to see a revised proposal on chicken ownership, and from there the commission will send the proposal along with its recommendations to the Blaine City Council for a vote.

Other cities that allow hens are Bellingham, Lynden, Burlington and Seattle, according to the planning commission staff report.

"The concerns expressed (at the public meeting) were the possibility of noise or perhaps odors from the chickens, or coops or pens being unsightly. But generally the commission seemed to think that wasn't significant," Jones said. "They correlated it back to the idea of other animals we keep like dogs. They can be very noisy, probably noisier than chickens."

The current proposal wouldn't allow roosters, and it would require that hens and their coops be located away from the street and in rear and side yard areas at least 10 feet from property lines, according to the report.

The sustainability factor was another reason some residents favored the idea. The chickens can help in the garden by eating any extra greens and providing manure to use as fertilizer.

"A lot of the discussion centered around a healthy food source, people being able to control the egg supply," Jones said.

It could be about a month before the zoning amendment goes before the city council for approval.

"To me it's kind of the same as having bunnies," said Blaine resident Pam Christianson. "I'm just kind of a 'live and let live' kind of person, and if someone wanted to have some chickens I don't see the problem. As long as they're in their yard, it doesn't bother me."