'Chicken ordinance' adopted in Pompton Lakes
POMPTON LAKES — The borough has adopted an ordinance to regulate farm animals after it was tabled to rework some details.
The ordinance was created in response to complaints about free-range chickens, a stinky pig, and a horse kept on property that officials considered too small.
The regulations were adopted on final reading, where a few members of the public asked questions. It covers chickens, horses, swine, goats, rabbits and other farm animals.
The measures were first introduced in November to outline minimum property sizes and to set limits on the number of animals allowed. It also established setbacks between pens or stables and homes or businesses.
"We just want to be respectful of our neighbors," Pompton Lakes Mayor Michael Serra said. "That's all it boils down to. The reason this is all coming about is because some people were not doing that."
Serra said the borough received complaints about free-range chickens that were roaming into neighbors' yards.
The mayor also said a resident with a small property raised a large pig in the summer to slaughter it on the Fourth of July.
"The neighbors in that area complained tremendously that this pig was stinking up the whole backyard and they couldn't go out in their backyards," Serra said.
He cited another situation where someone in the south end of town had a horse in his backyard on a small lot.
Five acres of land and 32 square feet of roof area is required for a horse under the regulations. Any pen or stable needs to be 50 feet away from a home or business.
Five acres is also required for other domesticated hooved animals, and only one can be harbored per acre.
The minimum lot size of 50 feet by 100 feet in the borough is required for domesticated poultry and fowl. There is a limit of 10, of which only one can be a male, or rooster. A pen, stable or other place for the keeping of chickens, ducks and other domesticated poultry and fowl needs to be 50 feet from a residence or business. The animals are required to be fenced or penned, and free-range harboring is prohibited.
Under the ordinance, rabbits are limited to five on lots smaller than one acre, and 10 on lots greater than one acre. The 50-foot setback for pens, stables or other places also applies.
No farm animal is allowed to run at large within the borough, it states.
There is a grandfather clause in the ordinance for residents who have farm animals. It considers the keeping of such animals a pre-existing non-conforming use, but owners are required to register the use with the zoning officer within the time provided by local land use law.
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Response from the public
Two residents addressed officials on the ordinance when it was introduced. One supported the measures, and the other did not.
Audra Vellucci, who lives on Midland Avenue, said multiple people on her block own chickens and they can be loud, with noise echoing off the lake.
Another resident expressed disappointment at the ordinance and said she purchased her property in Pompton Lakes after researching restrictions on farm animals in different towns.
"A dream of mine has always been to have pygmy goats and chickens," the resident said. "Most people in town have bigger dogs than the goats that I want to get. To say that you can have a Great Dane, you can have five Great Danes on your property, but I can't have a few small goats is a little upsetting."
Michael Fasouletos is a local resident who has chickens on his property. He said he, his wife and their two young daughters have had chickens for the last five years.
When the ordinance was adopted May 10, Fasouletos had some questions for the mayor and council about the grandfather clause. The mayor said the family isn't affected by the ordinance, but he and the borough attorney said Fasouletos, like other residents, must comply with existing zoning laws.
Serra said residents could come before the zoning board for variances related to the keeping of farm animals.
Owning chickens
Fasouletos moved to Pompton Lakes from Rutherford 10 years ago and keeps seven hens in his backyard. He said he started raising chickens after reading a book when commuting to New York City for work.
Fasouletos said there are about 30 households in the borough with chickens, including a few in the Twin Lakes neighborhood, where he lives.
"It's a bigger thing than people realize," he said. "It's our thing. These are our pets. We don't do dogs and cats. We don't eat meat. Chickens is just what we do. We love it. It's a great experience."
None of the Fasouletos' hens lay the same color eggs, and one, known as an "Easter Egger," even lays green eggs, he said. It looks like the egg was dyed but it's not, and they taste the same as other eggs, he said. None of his chickens lay white eggs.
"Our eggs are totally different from the store," he said. "We get double-yolkers once in a while. You don't get that from the store. My eggs are coming from my backyard instead of the average egg you're buying in a store, that has traveled 1,500 miles on a truck before it gets to your grocery store. I have days where we're getting the eggs right out of there and eating them the same day. It's still warm sometimes."
Fasouletos said raising chickens is not something he ever thought he would be into.
"Of course, in the beginning everyone thinks you're nuts — family and everyone," he said. "It's definitely a growing thing."
Email: Agnish@northjersey.com