"HENS GRANTED AMNESTY"

My parent's rather traditional pets, Muffy & Joe, nervously await the chicken decision. Unfortunately my sister Julia and her husband Greg were in Denver for the DNC and could not make the chicken meeting.
On Thursday Sewanee's local paper the Mountain Messenger printed the following report on this week's Community Council meeting:

"Katherine Alvarez, manager of Stirling's Coffee House, has lived in Sewanee for 30 years and in the same house on University Avenue for 13 years. She has kept chickens in her backyard for the past two years and has three pet hens: Antoinette, a Frizzle; Chloe, a Polish and Alysa, a bantam Cochin. Though Alvarez does not own a rooster, this summer one of her neighbors lodged a complaint about noise with the lease committee, which referred the problem to the Community Council. Alvarez's father, Laurence, started the discussion on Monday evening by saying the University's lease agreement prohibits livestock on the Domain, yet all the definitions of livestock he has researched do not include chickens. [the Tenn. Department of Agriculture's definition: "Livestock is defined as cattle, equine, swine, sheep or goats."] He said Katherine's chickens are not running around freely in the front yard and are not bothering anyone.

According to Alvarez, her chickens make less noise than dogs, cicadas, tree frogs, children or alumni. They live in a children's play house and adjacent screened-in porch, and when she lets them out into the backyard, deer netting around the yard keeps dogs and other animals out. For photos of Alvarez's chickens, her house, backyard and the chicken house, see <savesewaneechickens.blogspot.com/>.

Approximately 25 people attended the meeting in support of Alvarez. District 4 Representative Mary Blount said some of her constituents are concerned that too many chickens may be allowed on the Domain. She said, "The lease agreement was written to help us all live together. We should suggest to the University to refine it's definition of livestock."

As District 4 Representative Annie Armour could not attend the meeting, she asked Provost Linda Lankewicz to share her written opinion with the council: "I believe that as a community we should always look beyond traditionally accepted norms to new possibilities. In this case, there are lots of animals, including chickens, that are becoming socially acceptable as pets. Moreover, chickens fit into Sewanee's plan to become a leader in self-sustainability, too, since they eat ticks (thus helping one avoid spraying poisons in the yard) and provide eggs to eat. I think dogs can be much more of a nuisance than chickens, yet I would never ask that they be banished from the Domain. ... I do not see chickens as nuisances. They are not dangerous, noisy, vicious or particularly smelly. I do not see a compelling reason to ask Katherine to get rid of her chickens."

Professor of biology and Sustainabiliy Committee member David Haskell said that he and his wife had asked the Lease Committee's permission to keep their animals [including goats]. He and others on the Sustainability Committee are working on proposed revisions of lease rules to allow small-scale livestock for home consumption. Haskell said that the lease agreement says exceptions may be made if people present their requests to the Lease Committee. "I would hope we could allow some exceptions to allow animals for families to raise their own produce," he said.

District 1 representative Marymor (Boo) Cravens said, "What's the difference between an Easter bunny and a pet chicken?" She made a motion that the Community Council recommend that hens be allowed on the Domain subject to the Sustainability Committee's recommendations to the University and the Lease Committee; and the motion carried unanimously. Superintendent of Leases, Barbara Schlichting will present this recommendation to the Lease Committee at it's Sept. 17 meeting."

The Community Council Meeting

Dad and I at the Community Council meeting. Don't we look intimidating!The Community Council met tonight with a larger group and longer meeting than usual. (Okay well, seven of us were my family). As much as I wanted to have the chickens attend - they love a good social event - I wanted more not to embarrass my father.

After talking about the golf course and cell phone tower, it was time to devote most of the meeting to the chickens. Clearly there were two issues: me and my chickens and our lease - as well as the greater and more important issue of making the entire domain a more chicken friendly place. My father spoke to the former, discussing the fact that our lease does not prohibit chickens and since they're not walking around the front yard pecking people on the sidewalk or creating any other nuisance, there is no grounds to have me remove them.

I spoke about the benefits of raising hens. I explained how a hen raised as a pet will behave as a pet - much like a cat or dog: sit in your lap, eat from your hand, come when called... I talked about noise, smell and mess - pointing out that an animal about 12 inches tall will produce a proportionate amount of waste and mess - less than most dogs, foxes, raccoons... I got a hardy laugh when comparing the immaterial noise factor of chickens to the rather greater amount produced by alumni. I talked about the significant health benefits of home raised eggs and yard benefits of nitrogen filled droppings.

As I talked, pictures of my chickens and yard were passed around. Half way through I noticed warm smiles and heads nodding around the room - and not just from friends and family - the administrators of the University appeared engaged and supportive.

There followed discussion, opinions, anecdotes. Important points were made about this issue being much larger than just our town and our need to revisit the lease laws. Boo Cravens was adamant that MANY lease laws be revisited (she doesn't care WHAT color you paint your front door!). There was talk of local food sources and quality of life and then more stories of when there were horses, ponies, goats and chickens, (not to mention a dry cleaner and a grocery store) in town in the good ole days...

A motion was made to recommend to the Lease Committee that hens be allowed, subject to rules to be defined in accordance with the University Sustainability Committee. The motion was approved unanimously. Next the Lease Committee meets in September and then I expect it will go to the Sustainability Committee which will take all the necessary practicalities into consideration when coming up with specific chicken rules.

It was raining (hooray!) and past the chicken's bedtime when I returned home so I didn't run out to tell them the good news. They weren't worried anyway - they know they belong here.

Community Council Meeting

Painting of Chloe, Francesca and a gentleman caller by Catherine Darling Hostetter pureart3@comcast.net available at The Lemon Fair in Sewanee. The Community Council meeting is August 25 at 7:00 pm in the Community Center behind the Sewanee Market. It is an open meeting. I encourage anyone who is interested, has questions, thoughts or experiences to attend.

My father wrote his representatives and asked them to read this blog. I wrote all the members and emailed copies to the Lease Committee. In my letter I enclosed a very basic ordinance proposal based on the 50+/- city and town ordinances that I have read.

• "No domesticated fowl shall be allowed to run at large on the domain.
• No more than 6 hens over the age of 5 months shall be allowed for each
single-family dwelling.
• No roosters over the age of 5 months or of crowing age shall be allowed.
• No hens shall be allowed in multi-family complexes, including duplexes.
• All fowl must be kept at all times in a secure enclosure.
• Enclosures must be at least 25 feet from the nearest neighbor's
residence, church or school.
• Enclosures must be kept in a neat and sanitary condition at all times,
and must be cleaned on a regular basis so as to prevent offensive odors.
• There shall be no outside slaughtering of birds.
• Commercial use of fowl shall be prohibited.

Other considerations:
• larger number of hens for larger lots and/or specific locations
• neighborhood hens ­- with neighbor consent, one home keeps a larger
number of hens for several households to share.
• I would like to lead periodical chicken raising workshops - a common practice in many communities to educate new and/or potential owners."

These are ideas to facilitate what I strongly believe to be a fair and beneficial addition to our educated, open minded, beautiful and very fine quality of life.

I would not be pursuing this cause with such vigor were it not for the support I have received. In the past five weeks, the blog has been looked at 3,234 times from 22 countries. As an example: today I received an email from the wife and mother of alumni and aunt of an incoming freshman. She found the blog by accident and emailed to say she has 4 chickens near downtown Mobile where it's legal to have 14. Someone I don't know posted a comment on the blog recommending to me a book he or she thought I'd enjoy. I ran into a former student who'd heard about the blog while abroad and has been following it. Someone who grew up in Sewanee emailed me with the ordinances from her town in N.C. This is just today. I can't go into the bank or walk down the street without being stopped by enthusiastic people who want to support me and this cause. The responses I receive on a daily basis never stop and I have yet to hear one that is not positive.

Lease Committee Results

Painting by http://jeffhughart.com available at my mother's store, The Lemon Fair http://thelemonfair.com . My mother is an artist and her work has always reflected what was happening in her family's life.
Having been told yesterday, "the Lease Committee deferred the question of chickens to the August Community Council meeting", we began questioning what, exactly that means and how we should approach it. Today we were told, "The lease committee tabled the question and is gathering more information regarding chickens on the Domain from the Community Council and other campus groups." Who is on the Community Council and what is their role? We're working on getting concrete answers.

I still suspect that the lease committee doesn't know what to do with me and doesn't want to take full responsibility for either granting me the right to keep the chickens or prohibiting me from having them. I like to think that they are indeed considering the greater issues of sustainability and local food, right and wrong, and common sense. So, I am encouraged.

I have learned a huge amount in the past few weeks. Sewanee has an overwhelming sense of community and the response I've received from all kinds of people is yet one more example of it. Given all the large prominent cities that allow backyard chickens, I have great faith that Sewanee residents will soon be able to grow their own eggs and fertilizer while controlling bugs without pesticides and enjoying new and unexpected pets.

I also know that having pets is work and few people will actually want to invest the time and energy necessary to house chickens so it's not like suddenly the town will be overrun with silly looking birds.

I will probably take a break this weekend and start back fresh on Sunday with new and exciting chicken stuff...

Lease Committee Meeting and Radio Interview

My dad leaving the lease committee meeting.

What a day... WPLN, Nashville Public Radio, broadcast our brief interview http://wpln.org/newstranscripts/?p=2531 this morning and the Lease Committee Meeting was this afternoon.

My job at the University is quite public and it was fun today to have people stop by & say they'd inadvertently heard the interview on NPR. We weren't sure when it would broadcast, so most everyone heard it just because they listen to NPR anyway.

The lease committee meeting was interesting and enjoyable. Interesting to me to be part of a process, and enjoyable because most of us were at ease while reasonable, natural conversation flowed. The meeting takes place in the "Regent's Room" - a very nice board meeting sort of place with a large center table. There were 2 chairs at the end of the table for Dad & I, microphones and 8 University representatives. Once more for the record, it's a very small town - if we didn't all know each other, we were certainly acquainted. If only I'd been bold enough to take pictures for the blog!

Prior to the meeting, my father, who is on my lease, wrote a very direct letter to the members of the lease committee with copies to me and the neighbor who complained about the chickens. In the meeting today he restated the contents of the letter - focusing mainly on the lease agreement - which prohibits livestock, but not poultry. (I deal with this issue in depth in June posts of the blog). He touched on the integrity of the complaint as well as the issue of ultimately creating backyard chicken policies on the Domain.

I spoke of my research into backyard chicken ordinances across the country and how I would like to help Sewanee develop and implement such policies. I questioned how many complaints the lease superintendent has received from my neighbor (not solely about me, but total). That information was not available, but there have been 3 complaints against me that I'm aware of and others not directed at me were acknowledged.

There were several valid questions asked about chickens and the keeping of them. The history of chickens on campus was pointed out. Others have been forced to remove chickens. "On what grounds?" my father asked (since it's not prohibited in the lease.) Because of the lease, we were told. The policy (which is not in writing as part of our lease agreement) goes back before our current lease superintendent.

The question of noise was raised by my father because that was the original complaint. No one questioned the fact that my 3 hens do not make sufficient noise for any reasonable person to justify a complaint.

Unfortunately only two members of the lease committee ended up coming to see my chickens in person. Others, I assume, relied on the blog. No one at the meeting appeared to question my particular setting. My feeling was more that they just weren't sure what to do about the topic in general.

After the meeting, I found that I had a voice mail from WPLN following up on the story.

This evening I received an email informing me "the Lease Committee deferred the question of chickens to the August Community Council meeting."

Good, I don't blame them. Pass the buck....