localmatters
Coming Home to Roost: Burlington Updates Its Ag and Livestock Rules B Y K at h ry n Fla g g
14 LOCAL MATTERS
SEVEN DAYS
06.25.14-07.02.14
SEVENDAYSvt.com
a Burlington resident who keeps a small flock of laying hens — more than the city currently allows, he acknowledged, but not enough to bother neighbors. In fact, his neighbors have been so enamored of Goossen’s chickens that one offered to host the flock while Goossen’s home was
Goossen doesn’t believe Burlington’s current four-animal limit makes sense. Even during peak laying times, Goossen says, a quartet of chickens produces a total of two or three eggs a day — not enough for a family. Variables such as lot size, proximity to neighbors and coop
to the natural world, the larger agricultural ecosystem and their rural roots. “To be able to have a taste of Vermont in an urban environment is really important to us,” said Goossen. The proposed rules dive into the nitty-gritty of livestock handling,
size should be considered, he said, noting some people have room for bigger flocks. For Goossen and his wife, who both grew up in Vermont, keeping chickens — as well as growing food in a large backyard garden — is a way to stay connected
tackling manure storage and disposal, the threat of potential predators lured to neighborhoods, and the need for vaccinations or other health requirements. Bill Ward, Burlington’s director of code enforcement, acknowledged that
Sean MEtcalf
Q
ueen City foodies sat up and took notice when Burlington’s code enforcement team busted Will Bennington and his roommates for having too many chickens back in 2010. Was it really so egregious to keep a flock of 10 laying hens in their Old North End backyard? It turned out that there weren’t any rules on the books specifically pertaining to so-called “urban agriculture” within city limits. That left code enforcement to act on a literal interpretation of the one rule in Burlington statute governing limits on animals — an old kennel ordinance that requires residents to get a license to keep more than four animals. “As it is now, there is nothing saying you couldn’t have four cows in your backyard,” said Alison Nihart, the coordinator of Burlington’s Food Council. Conversely, though, the rules have kept some backyard chicken owners from expanding their flocks to provide enough eggs for their families. Nihart’s point? Burlington needs agriculture rules based on common sense and best practices — not arbitrary numbers. Those rules could be coming, and soon. After a years-long effort to draft new ordinances, the Urban Agriculture Task Force is poised to hand off a series of proposed rules to the city council this week. If approved, they would allow Burlington residents to keep more livestock based on the size of their lots, and in some cases slaughter animals on their own property — if they meet criteria designed to protect animals’ welfare, respect neighbors’ rights and ensure public health. “Right now, as it is, I’ve heard people have a lot of confusion,” said Nihart. “‘Am I even allowed to have chickens? Can I do this? Can I do that?’” The goal: Eliminate that ambiguity and encourage quality practices. Under the proposed guidelines, Burlington residents would be allowed to keep chickens, goats, sheep, camelids such as alpacas and llamas, donkeys, and horses — provided owners meet regulations specifying the space and bedding requirements of those animals. The task force sought to strike a delicate balance between sanctioning would-be backyard farmers and respecting the realities of high-density neighborhoods. That’s welcome news to Dan Goossen,
under renovation. Another was inspired to start his own backyard flock. “They escape occasionally,” said Goossen, “and everyone’s very goodnatured about getting them back into our yard.”