Jan 13, 2016 3 min read

MONONGAHELA – Chicken supporters packed the Monongahela City Council meeting Wednesday to ask city officials for a change in the zoning ordinance allowing backyard chickens.

Residents Michelle Parnell and Zack and Amy Bozic received letters Jan. 11 stating they were in violation of the city’s zoning ordinance. The letter stated the chickens had to be removed from the residences or they would be fined.

Parnell said people have many misconceptions of backyard chickens. People think chickens are noisy and dirty, she said. “A group of chickens defecates less than one small dog and makes less noise,” she said.

She also said chickens are environmentally good for the community. They are natural recyclers, eating table and garden scraps, aerating the garden and fertilizing naturally with no harmful chemicals.

Amy Bozic, owner of several hens, said, “We purchased a home here because the community is a great place to live. Most young people are moving toward a self-sustaining lifestyle. If you want this community to grow, you are going to have to address this ordinance.”

Mayor Bob Kepics said he researched the issue and found cities and municipalities across the country allow chickens.

“We need to work and change this ordinance. We have a lot of good things going on in our town. We want to keep moving forward. We are the pearl of the Mon Valley.”

Councilman Ken Kulak said it was great to see so many people come out in support of backyard chickens and said he hoped residents would attend more meetings. Councilman Alan Veliky offered a reprieve for the chickens until an amendment could be passed to the current zoning ordinance. Kulak said more research needs to be done on how many chickens are allowed per household and yard size.

Kulak and other members suggested that four chickens would be the limit.

For now, chickens in Monongahela have gotten a reprieve.

“I am happy that council is working to change the ordinance and happy that my chickens get a reprieve. I am confident the ordinance will be amended,” Parnell said.

The Bozics have more than four chickens, but they hope they will get to keep all of their poultry with the amended ordinance. “We have about a half an acre, and I am hopeful that they will look at each property and decide how many chickens. More property in a country setting I feel would be able to have more than four chickens,” Zack Bozic said.

Resident Paula Leech asked council when new bids were going out for garbage collection.

“I feel that they owe me damages for tearing up my yard, which resembles a marsh now. I have complained to them and they still run tracking my yard. Each week, I am picking up left behind trash.”

Kepics said the city has had many complaints and are planning a face-to-face meeting with Bigs Sanitation. He also directed the city solicitor to look into when the city could reopen bids for garbage collection.