Allow the Keeping of Chickens in the City of Parma

Recent signers:
Robert Sandman and 19 others have signed recently.

The Issue

As a resident of the City of Parma and an owner of chickens, I am directly impacted by the stipulations of City of Parma Ordinance 618.09, which lists chickens as prohibited animals. My chickens provide a fundamental food necessity for my family, and I believe this should be a right and not deemed an infringement by the said ordinance.

Given the reality of a global health crisis and in light of the financial instability many face, urban farming and homesteading have been gaining recognition for their integral roles. More than 20 U.S. cities have revised ordinances to allow backyard chickens in response to this evolving perspective, according to a research conducted by the Public Health Law Center in 2019.

It's time to reconsider the restrictions placed upon us - the residents who choose to provide for their families through a sustainable, responsible practice. Chickens not only give a source of fresh eggs, but also improve the soil quality by their foraging activities, aiding in our commitment to localized, environmentally sound food production.

I urge the City of Parma to evaluate the benefits alongside the concerns over noise and nuisance, and revise the ordinance to allow chickens within city limits. Your support means a lot to families like mine, who simply want to practice a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Please sign this petition and help us lobby for our right to raise chickens at home.

avatar of the starter
Megan McCulloughPetition Starter
Media inquiries

1,488

Recent signers:
Robert Sandman and 19 others have signed recently.

The Issue

As a resident of the City of Parma and an owner of chickens, I am directly impacted by the stipulations of City of Parma Ordinance 618.09, which lists chickens as prohibited animals. My chickens provide a fundamental food necessity for my family, and I believe this should be a right and not deemed an infringement by the said ordinance.

Given the reality of a global health crisis and in light of the financial instability many face, urban farming and homesteading have been gaining recognition for their integral roles. More than 20 U.S. cities have revised ordinances to allow backyard chickens in response to this evolving perspective, according to a research conducted by the Public Health Law Center in 2019.

It's time to reconsider the restrictions placed upon us - the residents who choose to provide for their families through a sustainable, responsible practice. Chickens not only give a source of fresh eggs, but also improve the soil quality by their foraging activities, aiding in our commitment to localized, environmentally sound food production.

I urge the City of Parma to evaluate the benefits alongside the concerns over noise and nuisance, and revise the ordinance to allow chickens within city limits. Your support means a lot to families like mine, who simply want to practice a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Please sign this petition and help us lobby for our right to raise chickens at home.

avatar of the starter
Megan McCulloughPetition Starter
Media inquiries
Support now

1,488

The Decision Makers

Timothy DeGeeter
Timothy DeGeeter
Parma City Mayor
Responded
“We appreciate your inquiry and the passion you bring to the issue. A healthy dialogue only serves to improve policy and the services the City provides to our community. After much consideration, the permitting of chicken keeping in the City poses too many difficulties for the majority of people, thus outweighing the minor benefit for a small minority. The City of Parma, a densely populated, inner-ring suburb, is simply not well suited for the keeping of domestic farm fowl including chickens. Here are some of the challenges: Limited resources As you allude to, currently there are residents who violate the regulatory requirements for pet ownership. Likewise, if chicken keeping is permitted, there are those residents who will also fail to keep their chickens as they should. Even after educational campaigns, residents will be unaware of the specific regulations governing chicken coops and may not fully understand their responsibilities as chicken owners. There will also be those who simply do not care about the requirements. This will lead to public health and other violations, unintentional or otherwise. As a result, enforcement resources will be required to address the problem. Instituting a permit process and the enforcement of chicken keeping regulations requires sufficient funding, staffing, and time. Our Animal Control Department would become responsible for permitting and enforcing domestic farm animal regulations on top of an already heavy workload. Animal Control resources are stretched with a single Animal Control officer and part-time officer. Furthermore, enforcing chicken keeping regulations would involve time and coordination between various other agencies, requiring resources from the Safety Department, Building Department’s zoning and code enforcement staff, police, Law Department, and public health departments. Enforcing chicken keeping regulations involves demonstrating that a violation has occurred. This requires gathering evidence to support enforcement actions, such as photographs, documentation, and witness statements. Identifying properties with non-compliant chicken coops can be challenging, especially if they are hidden from public view, or if residents are intentionally concealing them. Proving non-compliance is time-consuming and requires legal support from the Law Department and even from police and the Building Department. And all the while that the investigatory and prosecution process is ongoing, neighboring residents are made to suffer the fallout. The City would not be able to adequately meet the additional permitting, monitoring, and enforcement requirements without an increase in manpower. To do so would require the expenditure of additional taxpayer dollars. We would be asking all taxpayers to fund the necessary resources so that a small minority of people can keep chickens. Odor, waste management, health concerns Chicken coops can generate odors and waste, especially when not properly maintained. Accumulated chicken waste can emit unpleasant smells and attract pests, which can lead to hygiene and sanitation issues. Parma has limited space and infrastructure to effectively buffer such problems, including the effective disposal of chicken waste. Also, chickens, like any other animal, can carry diseases, parasites, or pathogens that can potentially be transmitted. Property value and aesthetics Many argue that chicken coops can have a negative impact on property values and the overall aesthetics of a neighborhood. The presence of coops may be seen as unsightly or incompatible with a residential area, particularly in urban or suburban settings. Predation and wildlife concerns Chicken coops can attract predators, such as raccoons, foxes, or even stray cats and dogs, which may pose a threat to the birds themselves, as well as neighboring pets. In an environment in which we have increasing deer and coyote populations, it would be unwise to increase potential interactions between domestic animals and native species. We hope you understand the reasons for our decision even if you disagree with it. As I said, we do appreciate and believe that a healthy dialogue only serves to improve policy, and we thank you for your input.”
Parma City Council
2 Members
Kammy Shuman
Kammy Shuman
Parma City Council - Ward 7
Deborah Lime
Deborah Lime
Parma City Council - Ward 2

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Petition created on October 7, 2024