Milton planners say no to chickens in town
Fair or fowl, the Milton Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved an advisory report to the town council recommending that the keeping of poultry or other fowl in residential districts should not be considered.
The commission highlighted negative impacts of allowing poultry or fowl within town limits, including unpleasant odors, uncontrolled noise, increased pests, and predators that may carry diseases that could be transmitted to humans and other animals.
In addition, the commission said, aerial predators, such as hawks and owls, present a problem with keeping poultry or fowl.
On a zoning code level, the commission said the recommended setback requirements for keeping a chicken coop could not be reached on the majority of parcels within Milton. The commission, which reviewed code from other municipalities as well as academic material and state regulations, found that most municipalities require 20 to 100 feet from the coop to the closest property line. Another consideration, the report says, is that other properties within Milton are located in developments that have covenants prohibiting poultry, fowl or farm animals.
Town council had begun exploring the concept of allowing chickens in residential areas in February and tasked the commission with writing an advisory report.
Currently, chickens are not allowed within town limits except for farms that have a special permit for animal grazing. Project Coordinator Tom Quass provided a memo to council stating that three municipalities in Kent and Sussex counties allow backyard chickens: Seaford, Wyoming and Greenwood. All allow the keeping of chickens with conditions, such as the chickens must be penned and no foul buildup of odor or waste. Seaford requires a license from the city manager to have chickens, and Quass reported that no one has ever applied. In Wyoming, Quass said, officials have not reported any problems other than the occasional loose chicken, while Greenwood officials reported only an occasional rooster violation.
