Dear Mayor Butler and City Council Members,

I am writing to respectfully request that the City Council reconsider its position on allowing backyard fowl within Burlington City limits. As a resident who has thoroughly researched this issue, I believe there is compelling evidence that warrants revisiting the current ordinance prohibition.

Clear and Consistent Public Support
The data overwhelmingly demonstrates that Burlington residents support allowing backyard chickens with appropriate regulations.

2020 Comprehensive Survey Results:

• 1,311 residents participated in the official city survey
  • 88.3% of respondents were Burlington residents
• 60.3% strongly agreed or agreed with allowing backyard chickens
• 60% voted "Yes" when asked directly about allowing chickens within city limits

Public Comment Periods:

• September 2020: 5 residents spoke in favor, only 1 opposed
• May 2021: 16 residents supported, 2 opposed
• Combined ratio: 21 in favor, 3 opposed (87.5% support)

This consistency across multiple forums and timeframes demonstrates genuine, sustained community interest.

Addressing a Questionable Foundation
With all due respect, the current prohibition stems from a 2006 decision made after a single public hearing with only four community members participating (as far as I can tell from Council meeting minutes). That decision was informed by a large number of complaints to the Sheriff, primarily concerning chickens and roosters "running at large" and noise of roosters (mainly in east Burlington). Notably, the City Council chose a complete ban rather than addressing the specific issue of loose fowl or the keeping of roosters, or implementing reasonable regulations.

Many of today's residents, who have expressed interest in regulated backyard fowl, were not part of that earlier conversation nearly twenty years ago. In addition, today's proposal is fundamentally different. Modern backyard fowl ordinances include provisions for:

• Proper enclosures and housing requirements
• Limits on the number of birds
• Prohibition of roosters (addressing noise concerns)
• Setback requirements from property lines
• Health and sanitation standards

Proven Benefits and Addressed Concerns
Burlington residents have identified compelling reasons for allowing backyard chickens:

• Food Security: Fresh, affordable eggs provide nutritional benefits and reduce grocery costs, particularly valuable for families facing economic pressures.
• Education: Children learn responsibility, agriculture, and where food comes from through hands-on experience.
• Sustainability: Chickens reduce food waste, create natural fertilizer, and provide pest control by consuming insects and ticks.
• Community Resilience: Local food production strengthens our community's self-sufficiency, a lesson reinforced during pandemic and natural disaster-related supply chain disruptions.

I understand (and share!) the concerns that have been raised by my neighbors—noise, odor, and property maintenance issues. However, these issues can be directly addressed through proper regulation and ordinance design. Numerous municipalities of similar or greater density have successfully implemented fowl  ordinances without the problems opponents fear, while maintaining neighborhood quality of life. 

Concerning Animal Services staffing, while a valid concern, I suspect the workload may balance out over time. Given that some Burlington residents currently keep fowl despite the prohibition, Animal Services presumably already handles related calls. The change would involve transitioning from enforcing a complete ban to overseeing compliance with specific regulations.

A Path Forward
While I respect the Council's 2021 decision, I question the characterization of public opinion as mixed and somewhat polarized as a justification for not updating the UDO, which I understand  must be done in the public interest. On the issue of backyard fowl, Burlington's residents have spoken with consistency and clarity. The current prohibition serves no compelling public interest and contradicts the expressed will of the community. The survey data and public comment ratios suggest a fairly consistent pattern of support.  While I certainly understand there are residents with legitimate concerns, when three-fifths of residents support a proposal, and public commenters favor it by an 8:1 margin, this can’t reasonably be considered a polarizing issue. 

The residents of Burlington have further demonstrated patience and civic engagement on this issue. We have participated in surveys, attended meetings, and provided extensive feedback through official channels. We’ve invested considerable time and energy engaging with this issue over several years, and since our time is no less precious than yours, clarity on the Council's criteria for evaluating public support and determining community interest is at the very least due.

I respectfully request that the City Council revisit this matter and VOTE TO APPROVE a backyard fowl ordinance with appropriate guidelines that reflect public opinion.

A draft ordinance amendment for consideration can be found here

Thank you!