As it stands, our local town of Springville, Iowa has a ban on domestic fowl within city limits, such as chickens, quail, ducks, and geese. This means residents living within city limits cannot own any poultry, even for the purpose of private egg production and household food security. Surrounding larger cities and towns including Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Anamosa do allow up to 6 birds per household with the caveat that no roosters are permitted. The citizens of Springville are thusly denied a logical, economic, and feasible reality of owning domestic fowl in a town for household purposes while being supplied no legitimate case against the practice. Therefore, families have not had access to this helpful resource that would supply affordable food, healthy independent self-sustenance, and the social and psychological benefit of companionship with such animals. With rising food costs and the recent egg economy, us as Americans should have the right to our own chickens on our own property. 

We find ourselves at a crossroads: one direction where nothing changes, people continue to be handicapped by backwards legislation preventing ownership and food independence, and Springville carries on in their present action as if they're a Homeowner's Association, ruling the town with an iron fist. The other direction would give the families of Springville freedom (garnered by American citizenship) and allow them to be the true owners of their homes and property goings-on. Families could ease the stress on their pocketbooks, raise children and communities that are in touch with where their food comes from, and even lower the rates of food waste going into landfills. It was once considered the American way, to be self-sustaining and pull oneself up by one's bootstraps. Chickens and victory gardens were highly encouraged 70 years ago, and the practices are no less beneficial now. 

Simply put, this is a right that's being denied. The citizens of Springville deserve to be uninhibited with regard to beneficial private property actions. This is an important issue whether it's been discussed or silently obeyed; any recent spur towards action is the enactment of dormant potential, stored and preserved to see the light of day now. There is no sensible cause as to why this law stands, and we must bring it to an end.