On Tuesday, January 26 at 5 PM, the Wellsboro Zoning Board heard our case for a variance. It was formal, like a court hearing. Our lawyer, Anne Leete, presented the case for us. Our neighbors testified as witnesses. Half a dozen supportive community members made encouraging statements at the end of the two-hour-long hearing. In contrast to the Borough Council meetings we attended this year, the Zoning Board paid close attention to the details and asked meaningful questions. Overall, we felt that the hearing went well. 

We want to thank everyone who has supported us by sharing our Facebook posts, signing our petition, writing letters, and showing up at our chicken hearing. We especially want to thank Anne Leete and her partners at Spencer Gleason Hebe & Rague for their dedication to our case.

The Zoning Board has 45 days to decide whether we can keep chickens and ducks on our property. While the Zoning Board deliberates our land use, the Borough Council has the power to simply change the ordinance to affect everyone. Many families have been pressured to remove similar pets from their properties over the years. The Borough's current ordinance unfairly excludes residents interested in keeping pets that contribute to a sustainable lifestyle. It is clear that this is something the community is interested in changing. 

If you would like to voice your concerns about chickens, ducks, goats, bees, or any other animals, you can do so in person at the next Borough Council meeting on February 8, 2021, at 5 PM on Crafton Street in Wellsboro, PA. 

P.S. We have provided the Borough Council with contacts to the Penn State Extension's poultry educators in hopes that they will craft a new and better ordinance.