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Back-yard chicken coops proposed for Mundelein
Updated: August 31, 2012 3:08PM
Chickens may be coming to roost in some Mundelein back yards.
Village trustees heard a request from Holly Kim and some of her neighbors June 11 to amend current zoning laws and allow residents to maintain a limited number of egg-laying hens in their back yards.
“I know you’re probably worried about people being irresponsible. However, nuisance ordinances already cover smell, unsightliness, and noise,” Kim said.
She also addressed some common concerns about maintaining backyard chicken coops.
She said roosters should be banned. Only egg-laying hens should be allowed, she said.
Kim said limits should be placed on how many hens one can accommodate in their coops.
”Four to six would be reasonable,” she indicated.
‘Ticket them’
And what if smell becomes a problem? “Well, just ticket them,” Kim said.
“Nobody wants to live by something that is noisy or smells bad. That’s why we have nuisance ordinances,” she pointed out.
Kim agreed backyard chickens aren’t for everyone, “Nor should they be!”
”Pot-bellied pigs are allowed here in Mundelein, but really how many families keep them? Not everyone wants a pet pig, and not everyone will want to raise chickens,” she said,
“But we can reduce food scraps from going to landfills, their poop is high in nitrogen and great for composting use in a garden, and we as a family can enjoy delicious natural fresh eggs from non-commercialized chickens that are readily available to us.”
Mayor Ken Kessler said he was impressed with Kim’s presentation and personally could support the concept with some regulatory provisions included. He suggested village zoning planners consider the matter for further study.
