Council Says No Chickens In City Limits
By Gordon Hopkins
The 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.”
However, council members expressed concern about policing chickens in the city.
“I’m going to throw this out there,” said 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.
