5 hens now legal in city limits Alton, Illinois!

[fifibreen]

We were successful in changing the ordinance in Alton, Illinois!! We are now allowed to have 5 hens!! I was surprised how receptive our city was overall to the idea. It was a lot of work but happened very fast. The issue first arose in July with another resident that had chickens in the city limits got caught. The city said they would consider changing the ordinance(I don't think they expected anyone to get organized and pursue the issue). We jumped on the chance and by October 24th it passed.

I have been secretly keeping chickens in town for three years and jumped on a opportunity to change the law. I passed my inspection today and paid my permit fee. I though I might get a fancy permit certificate or a tag, but all I got was a anti-climatic receipt. Either way I am super happy to know that I am now abiding the law and my hens are safe!

My fancy permit!


My hens

 

[Y N dottes]

congrats......u are now a law abiding citizen

 

[lookyhereboy]

Glad you won just sorry you have to pay a tax to have them. By that I mean the permit. Do they make you pay it yearly? or is it a one time thing?

 

[stevetone]

Is that an annual fee?

 

[luvmychicken]

i guess i can't complain, i had to apply for a varience where live. they limited me to 16 total (hens or roosters, it doesn't matter). i paid a one time fee for the application. but nothing else.

 

[fifibreen]

Sorry I have been offline due to my job keeping me busy over the holidays!

The fee is a annual fee and the inspection is one time. The fee was not to much of eye brow raiser to me personally since I did a lot of research and worked hard on the ordinance change. Most urban communities/cities that allow chickens have some sort of permit fee. The yearly fee the city settled on was based off of other urban ordinances in other communities including one locally from the St. Louis area. There are lower and higher fees depending on what ordinance you look at. The city already charges a up to a $5.00 fee per dog and cat to be registered. If you look at $5.00 per chicken its no more then for other pets.

Personally I'm just happy to have chickens in my backyard. For me $25.00 a year is a small cost for all the enjoyment I receive from having my chickens. I'm thankful our city was even open to the discussion. I do fee badly for those whom $25.00 is too much money, but if you can't afford $25.00 then having and taking care of any pet may be difficult.

 

[stevetone]

I have never, ever, heard of a fee that high for keeping 5 hens. And yes, I have done the research (2010) and have indeed put together and helped pass an ordinance on urban chicken keeping. Your municipality's fee has set a new high water mark for me.

IMO, fees are not a matter of what the feepayer can afford, but what services are rendered for that collected fee. There should be no general revenue purpose for fees.

Dogs and cats do far more damage to the environment and consume far more time in enforcement and stray management than 5 hens ever will. Thus, their fees are justified, and probably too low at that. But I think you'll see that it's too much for a handful of hens.

 

[nowandahen]

Here in Amherst NY, we just passed an amendment to allow a "special use" permit for 6 chickens. Filing fee is $125 and the permit is renewable in 2 years. Steep, yes but this is a tremendous first step in allowing backyard chickens in an otherwise very conservative community.

 

[stevetone]

Here in Amherst NY, we just passed an amendment to allow a "special use" permit for 6 chickens. Filing fee is $125 and the permit is renewable in 2 years. Steep, yes but this is a tremendous first step in allowing backyard chickens in an otherwise very conservative community.

I am not trolling for an argument, but that fee is outrageous, UNLESS it encompasses a one-time building inspection on the coop. But if it's a biannual fee just for the "privilege" of keeping a handful of two buck animals in the backyard, it is out of line at $10/hen/year.

The impact of 6 hens on a neighborhood is minor compared to the impact of other commonly kept pets (i.e., dogs and cats). I must assume that an annual dog license is at least $60/year as well? And outdoor cats are licensed?

If the municipality's argument is that it should be a per-animal fee, and that dogs and cats are at a similar rate, then they really need to consult other municipalities and ask what their enforcement rate (disturbing the peace, bites, unlawful defication, etc.) and time expended on strays and animal control for hens versus dogs and cats. It will be eye-opening.

IMO, you need to vote for more reasonable politicians...

(and I guess I have a new high water mark for backyard poultry keeping fees--$10/hen/year)

 

[lookyhereboy]

I am not trolling for an argument, but that fee is outrageous, UNLESS it encompasses a one-time building inspection on the coop. But if it's a biannual fee just for the "privilege" of keeping a handful of two buck animals in the backyard, it is out of line at $10/hen/year.

The impact of 6 hens on a neighborhood is minor compared to the impact of other commonly kept pets (i.e., dogs and cats). I must assume that an annual dog license is at least $60/year as well? And outdoor cats are licensed?

If the municipality's argument is that it should be a per-animal fee, and that dogs and cats are at a similar rate, then they really need to consult other municipalities and ask what their enforcement rate (disturbing the peace, bites, unlawful defication, etc.) and time expended on strays and animal control for hens versus dogs and cats. It will be eye-opening.

IMO, you need to vote for more reasonable politicians...

(and I guess I have a new high water mark for backyard poultry keeping fees--$10/hen/year)

I agree but I guess I am lucky here. I don't have to pay any fee. It's just the typical government trying to limit people's freedom's by making them pay to keep something they have every right to keep for free. I don't know about you but my pursuit of happiness includes keeping chickens. At least people on here are fighting their local governments to have chickens. Now they have to fight to eliminate the fees. I don't agree with dog and cat licenses either.