Cock-A-Doodle Don’t

By Gordon HopkinsThe Fairbury City Council has once again shot down an attempt to allow citizens to keep chickens in the city limits. The issue was last reviewed by council on May 5, 2020. The request died as staff tabled the decision for a future date.Devin Lovgren spoke at a city council meeting on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Lovgren said, “As we’ve seen in many recent years, the desire for integrated and secure food systems has been growing, and urban chicken keeping can play a vital role in achieving this. COVID-19 really highlighted the importance of both secure and sustainable food system, with many individuals and families turning to urban farming and backyard chicken keeping as a way to secure their own food supply. Legalizing urban chicken keeping can support and encourage this desire for more integrated and secure food systems promoting sustainability and self sufficiency within the city.”Lovgren had one supporter on the council. Bradley Kuzelka said, “This is the number one issue I hear from my constituents. Everyone complains about why we can’t have chickens.”“Because I’m all for it. And this would be like the third or fourth time, I can’t remember, that this has been brought to us and again, I will support it,” said Kuzelka.However, other council members felt differently. Councilperson Brian Schmidt said, “I’ve got three comments just last week from my constituents and they were all three against it. So I didn’t get the same vibe I guess.”Several council members expressed concern about policing chickens in the city.“That’s another thing I thought of. Will the county attorney, if we have to write somebody up, is he going to prosecute?” asked Councilperson Kelly Davis. “That’s a problem with this right now in the situation we’re in with our law enforcement.”“I’m going to throw this out there,” said Fairbury Mayor Spencer Brown. “From a code enforcement standpoint, from a city standpoint, I don’t think we are tough enough to take this on.”Councilperson Doug Brown made a motion to keep the ordinance prohibiting chickens in its present form. Councilperson Bradley Kuzelka voted against, the rest of the council voted for the motion.

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