Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Plan Commission Update

Last evening, the Monona Plan Commission considered the ordinance to allow the keeping of chickens as well as several beer gardens that implicate the smokefree ordinance.

The meeting started at 5 pm with the showing of the Mad City Chickens movie.

The Plan Commission heard from numerous citizens in support of the ordinance and then had a full discussion of the proposed chicken keeping ordinance. The committee ultimately tabled consideration to its next meeting. It was a pretty good discussion overall. One possible amendment that I would not favor would require approval from one's immediate neighbors as a condition of approval.

In the meantime, I have requested a formal legal opinion from the city attorney (request has to approved by either the Mayor or city administrator) as to the current legal status of chicken keeping.

***

I left at that point but am informed that the Plan Commission approved the Tully's II outdoor patio and what amounts to a smoking room at the Bridge Lounge. For the full story see the Herald's report by Adam Mella at Additions approved for Tully's II and Bridge Lounge.


For a full preview (with links to the committee packet) see my earlier posting: Important Monona Plan Commission Meeting

8 comments:

  1. I would hate to see money spent on these "smokingrooms" when they will be illegal when the State is smokefree. Soon I'll bet.

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  2. My thoughts exactly. I introduced changes to the smokefree ordinance last fall to require more open air for these 'beer gardens', but it never went anywhere.

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  3. the tullys folks flat out said they need a place for their smokers. that's what these are for. i guess it's better than them sitting outside smoking between drinks, but these places are pretty much for smokers.

    the owners did propose their area to be bigger so it will comply with state regulations - assuming they are enacted.

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  4. Right, but Tully's is proposing an open air patio so ther is no issue of exposure to secondhand indoor smoke.

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  5. Let's choke this chicken thing before it hatches. I don't want to be woken up at 5:00 AM by my neighbors' chickens. I don't want to smell my neighbor's chickens. But I will break my neighbor's chicken's necks if they wander into my yard.

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  6. My good friends have lived right next door to chickens in Monona for years and didn't even know it until recently. That's how loud and smelly those chickens have been. On the other hand, we have been harassed for years by our neighbor's dog barking endlessly at all hours. So if we're gonna go down this road of telling people which animals they can keep, I suggest we ban dogs. Or at least tell people you can't have one unless your neighbors give you permission.

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  7. "Let's choke this chicken thing before it hatches."

    Amazing that someone so uninformed would post a comment. Once again, the proposal would NOT allow roosters, so noise will not be an issue. The propsoal would also address cleanliness. And the proposal would prohibit letting the birds run free. Anony, you are 0 for 3.

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  8. Anonymous submitted the following (I edited out a sentence that was mildly derogatory toward a committee memeber by name):

    "I don't want to be woken up at 5:00 AM by my neighbors' chickens. I don't want to smell my neighbor's chickens. But I will break my neighbor's chicken's necks if they wander into my yard..............

    I HAVE BEEN WOKEN BY DOGS AT 5:30 ALMOST EVERY DAY SINCE I MOVED HERE 10 YEARS Ago.

    on a related chicken note........will I be able to take my chickens for a ride in the car with the chickens on my lap as dozens of dog owners in Monona do????"

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