Chicken Lady: Dianna Caminos speaks to a chicken rally last week when 40 supporters showed up to mainly to agree with her request of the county to allow her to raise a few hens that lay eggs on her residential platted lot off of Sunshine Blvd. South. In front of her is a “stuffed chicken” partially hiding the microphone. The rally was held at the East County Regional Library. Photo by Mel Toadvine

The chickens wars in Lehigh Acres came to an abrupt end Tuesday when the topic was brought up before the Lee County Commission as to whether a local ordinance for unincorporated Lee County should be changed and allow people who live in residential areas raise chickens in their backyards. Presently the ordinance allows the growing of chickens only on agriculturally zoned lots.

The result was no change – the ordinance stands as it is and those violating the ordinance will be cited by code enforcement officers.

When the topic came up, there was a a brief discussion by Commissioner Frank Mann of District 5 but no motion to make a change by him.

However Commissioner Brian Bigelow made a motion to hold a hearing, but it died for the lack of a second.

Freida Damon of Country Club Estates said she was watching the coverage of the council meting on TV but was confused as to the outcome since there was no further discussion after Bigelow’s call for a motion.

Chicken Display: Dianna Caminos stands next to an exhibit she prepared that shows photographs of her small flock of hens that she raises to produce eggs for her family that includes a husband and two children. She is fighting Lee County and asking for a change in the ordinance that prohibits the raising of poultry in residential areas. Photo by Mel Toadvine

She said she emailed Mann’s office to ask for an explanation. Her email read:

“I watched today’s commissioner’s meeting and the way you ended the chicken discussion left me wondering about the status of enforcement. When (Commissioner) Bigelow’s motion did not get a second, does this mean that the ordinances are going to remain as written and be enforced ? Your parting remark about trying to get three commissioners to agree with Bigelow at a future meeting left me confused.

“Please clarify what the status of enforcement is at this point as there are almost 600 very irritated residents here in Country Club Estates that would like to know.”

She received a reply shortly in return email that read:

“Yes, the ordinance will stay as written. Commissioner Bigelow’s motion was not seconded and therefore, died for lack of a second.” It was sent by Christine Berry, executive assistant, Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann, District 5.

Dianna Caminos, who was cited in June for growing chickens in her backyard in a residential area near Sunshine Blvd. and 29th St. had gathered more than 700 signatures asking that the ordinance be changed.

She said last week that some of the signatures were not legal because some who signed did not list their addresses.

A week before, she held a chicken rally at the East County Regional Library in which 40 supporters showed up, many of them backyard chicken growers.

Residents in Country Club Estates had raised more than 600 signatures on a petition asking the commissioners to leave the ordinance alone.

Caminos could not be immediately contacted for a comment.

EARLIER STORY AS PRINTED IN THE CITIZEN ON AUG. 30

The chicken war rages on but a report from county staff, which has been given to Lee County Commissioners, may bring an end to the war between people who believe they should be able to raise backyard chickens in a coop for eggs and those who say chickens should only be raised in agriculturally zones areas.

Dianna Caminos spearheaded a Meet and Greet session last week which drew a crowd of about 40 supporters to the East County Regional Library, the majority overwhelmingly supporting her and others who are raising a few chickens in their yards in residentially zoned areas.

Caminos, who was cited by a code enforcement officer in June, says the county is wrong not to allow people today to have a few chickens in the backyards if they are cared for properly. And she’s collecting signatures on a petition and claims to have more than 700, admitting that some are not legal since no address of the signer was listed.

Meanwhile another petition with more than 600 names from Country Club Estates along Joel Blvd. has surfaced and folks there are working to have the county maintain the status quo by leaving the ordinance that permits chicken growing only in agriculturally zoned areas and not amend it in any way to allow chickens to be grown on residential lots.

The debate has become a hot issue in unincorporated Lee County, especially in Lehigh Acres. Of the 40 people who attended last Wednesday’s Save Our Chickens Rally, many raised their hands when asked by Caminos if there were backyard chicken owners in the audience. Others smiled but didn’t raise their hands.

As the law stands now, only those people who live on agriculturally zoned lots can raise chickens in their backyards.

Caminos said she has received a lot of support from people who have chickens in their backyard albeit it illegal in residential areas.

“They have their chickens in coops that they keep clean and they have fenced runs for them. They take care of the manure from the chickens usually using in in compost to raise vegetables in a garden,” Caminos said.

She noted that with the tough economic times, people are turning toward becoming sustainable by raising chickens for eggs and planting food to save money. She said those who have eggs often trade them with other who raise vegetables in their back yards.

Caminos said she lives south of Sunshine Blvd., in a sparsely populated area, but with neighbors nearby. She said there had been no complaints from her neighbors. The area is classified as residential.

However, a 10-page report from the Department of Community Development in Lee County, following a request by Lee County Commissioners to look into the matter and give them information in which to consider if the ordinance can be or should amended or changed.

Under the signature of Mary Gibbs, director of the Dept. of Community Development, a “White Paper” has been issued and Caminos said she had only received the email a few hours before and had not had time to completely read it. She proceeded to read it to the audience and commented point by point on its comments. Most people in the audience volunteered comments mainly supporting people having chickens in residential zones areas.

In a summary of the White Paper presented by Gibbs, is stated the following:

“There are benefits and detriments which are listed further in the report. The main benefits are that chickens are a source of food and recreation for families. The detriments are that allowing chicks and coops in traditional, residential neighborhoods alters the urban/suburban nature of RS-1 zoning and potential affects property rights and property values.

“After thorough analysis, it is staff’s opinion that the detriments of allowing chickens and coops in traditional residential neighborhoods outweigh the benefits.”

Meanwhile, Stan Damon, vice president of County Club Estates Association Inc., wrote a letter to Commissioner Frank Mann saying that on behalf of the landowners in the neighborhood that they are overwhelmingly opposed to the keeping and raising of chickens in an established residential neighborhood.

“CCEA is not a snobbish group as our names may suggest to some. The entrance to our deed restricted, not gated, neighborhood is located across the street on Joel Blvd. from the original Admiral Lehigh Golf Course hence the name.”

Damon’s letter can be read this week online and in the newspaper on Page 5. Online, it can be found in the Letters section. Also, you can express your opinion today online at Lehighacrescitizen.com and registering your anonymous vote. The results will be printed in next week’s paper.