TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Toledo City Council voted Tuesday to put a new chicken ordinance in place.
The city says after receiving several complaints over the years they have decided to create new regulations.
This is the first time the City of Toledo has ever regulated chickens in the city, but not everyone agrees with the decision.
“They're wonderful little animals. They're fun to watch, provide good nutrition and they make me happy,” said Toledo resident Steve Judd.
Judd is just one of several residents in Toledo who choose to keep chickens in their yard. He says he disagrees with most of the new city ordinance.
“I tell you, if you taste the eggs out of these chickens, you won't go back to store bought eggs,” said Judd. “I think it's a waste of time money and effort, I think it was absolutely unnecessary. It solves no problem, it prevents no condition…”
The ordinance lists things like a six chicken limit, setback and enclosure requirements and slaughtering restrictions. It also bans people from owning roosters.
City Councilman Tom Waniewski says with an increase in urban farming, some sort of regulation was necessary.
“I've been receiving complaints on and off for the last eight years,” said Waniewski. “We are not being punitive we are not over regulating anyone. I thought it was a good compromise to make sure we had our bases covered."
Judd argues the basics of this ordinance are already covered in other city laws pertaining to noisy animals and he says six chickens will not produce enough eggs for a larger family.
Under this new ordinance people who wish to own a rooster or more than six chickens will have to apply for a permit through the health department.
