Backyard chicken proposal sent to county commission
Rick Anglickis
You may soon be able to raise a few chickens in your backyard if the Lee County Commission gives its approval.
For the past few years, there have been pleas from residents in Lehigh Acres to be able to raise hens to produce eggs. In May, a Lehigh man was fined by code enforcement for having chickens in his backyard.
Charles Edwards was told to get rid of his chickens and now he has vowed to take up the fight to get the rules changed.
Edwards met with Commissioner Frank Mann, who advised him to plead his case to the Lehigh Acres Community Council. If he could convince it, it could come up with a proposal to send to the county.
Edwards said he and supporters will do what they can to allow people to raise a few chickens in their backyards in Lehigh.
Last month, a committee was formed with three council members and two citizens. They were asked to come up with a proposal to present to the county that would allow backyard chickens in Lehigh.
Council members Alain Capucci, Richard Farsi and Tyler Woodby, along with Edwards and Teresa Parks, made up the committee, according to Carol Cherigo, a spokeswoman for the council.
About 40 citizens attended the council meeting. There were several requests from the public to speak, and there was discussion among the council and the public.
Council member Rick Anglicki had some issues about the wording of the proposed proposal for the county.
“For example, it regarded spare footage, duplexes versus private residences,” Cherigo said. “Council members voted on whether or not to make those changes to the proposal and some were approved and some were not.”
In a show of hands by the citizens present, it was obvious that the vast majority were in favor of allowing backyard chickens and sending the proposal on to the county commissioners, she said.
There was opposition to backyard chickens by some citizens for various reasons and they did voice their concerns, Cherigo said.
However, the majority of the citizens present were overwhelmingly in favor, she said.
The council approved the proposal to be sent to the county.
While the majority voted in favor of the proposal, it was not unanimous and neither were the votes on the changes. A few members were opposed, Cherigo said.
When the proposal got to the county commission, however, it was stopped in its tracks.
Lee County Attorney Richard Wesch explained to the commission that the zoning changes that would have to be applied to Lehigh to allow for the chickens would have to be applied to all unincorporated areas of the county.
The proposal was two pages long and listed several stipulations in regard to keeping hens.
It now reads that “the keeping of backyard hens is subject to the following regulations,” with the first one being “No person shall raise, harbor or keep hens within the unincorporated area without a valid permit. A permit fee is $25 ($20) designated to the county and $5 would go toward an educational program on raising chickens.”
Backyard chicken owners would be prohibited from selling eggs or chicken products, and no roosters would be allowed.
There are several other stipulations in the measure.
The county commissioners may take up the measure again with the changes.
Backyard chicken proposal sent to county commission
Rick Anglickis
You may soon be able to raise a few chickens in your backyard if the Lee County Commission gives its approval.
For the past few years, there have been pleas from residents in Lehigh Acres to be able to raise hens to produce eggs. In May, a Lehigh man was fined by code enforcement for having chickens in his backyard.
Charles Edwards was told to get rid of his chickens and now he has vowed to take up the fight to get the rules changed.
Edwards met with Commissioner Frank Mann, who advised him to plead his case to the Lehigh Acres Community Council. If he could convince it, it could come up with a proposal to send to the county.
Edwards said he and supporters will do what they can to allow people to raise a few chickens in their backyards in Lehigh.
Last month, a committee was formed with three council members and two citizens. They were asked to come up with a proposal to present to the county that would allow backyard chickens in Lehigh.
Council members Alain Capucci, Richard Farsi and Tyler Woodby, along with Edwards and Teresa Parks, made up the committee, according to Carol Cherigo, a spokeswoman for the council.
About 40 citizens attended the council meeting. There were several requests from the public to speak, and there was discussion among the council and the public.
Council member Rick Anglicki had some issues about the wording of the proposed proposal for the county.
“For example, it regarded spare footage, duplexes versus private residences,” Cherigo said. “Council members voted on whether or not to make those changes to the proposal and some were approved and some were not.”
In a show of hands by the citizens present, it was obvious that the vast majority were in favor of allowing backyard chickens and sending the proposal on to the county commissioners, she said.
There was opposition to backyard chickens by some citizens for various reasons and they did voice their concerns, Cherigo said.
However, the majority of the citizens present were overwhelmingly in favor, she said.
The council approved the proposal to be sent to the county.
While the majority voted in favor of the proposal, it was not unanimous and neither were the votes on the changes. A few members were opposed, Cherigo said.
When the proposal got to the county commission, however, it was stopped in its tracks.
Lee County Attorney Richard Wesch explained to the commission that the zoning changes that would have to be applied to Lehigh to allow for the chickens would have to be applied to all unincorporated areas of the county.
The proposal was two pages long and listed several stipulations in regard to keeping hens.
It now reads that “the keeping of backyard hens is subject to the following regulations,” with the first one being “No person shall raise, harbor or keep hens within the unincorporated area without a valid permit. A permit fee is $25 ($20) designated to the county and $5 would go toward an educational program on raising chickens.”
Backyard chicken owners would be prohibited from selling eggs or chicken products, and no roosters would be allowed.
There are several other stipulations in the measure.
The county commissioners may take up the measure again with the changes.
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