Pittsfield Could Look at High Cost of Chicken Permits
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Director of Public Health Andy Cambi says the city's process for keeping chickens is effective after a resident brought her concerns about the cost to a City Council subcommittee in September.
Instead, he suggested looking into options for financial aid to mitigate the cost for permits.
Chickens are permitted through zoning ordinance under a special permit at a cost of more than $500. Resident Melissa Corbett previously proposed a permitting process for the raising of six chickens that goes through the Board of Health instead of the Zoning Board of Appeals and has an initial fee of $25.
"I'm confident right now that the current process, special permit for chickens is effective through the special permits because it does give that opportunity for public hearings and publications to neighborhoods where people can be alerted to their neighbors that want to have chickens,” Cambi told the Board of Health on Wednesday.
"We don't have much agricultural land here. It's a lot of residential. So, you know, I worry as far as what could be the outcome if the Health Department took over this and then we didn't have that process as thorough as the zoning laws require.”
He also questioned if the department has the staff to take on that task.
Board of Health Chair Roberta Orsi pointed out that the Health Department had just managed to fill positions and needed to "get some wind under its wings" before taking on a new project.
Board members agreed with addressing the financial piece of keeping chickens, as that was the resident's concern.
"I think it seems excessive because what everyone is pointing to is that there is an established system, the system is effective, and to address an issue relative to financial hardship within that system," member Brad Gordon said, adding, "we're talking about wholesale change in terms of moving it over to another department.
"That seems excessive to me, to say the least, and I think we would be better served as a community to find a way, as Andy indicated, to address the financial burden.”
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