Sarasota Chicken Train Leaves Station

Sarasota County’s backyard chicken train left the station today (May 10 2016), but not before being slowed down and having some extra stops and baggage added. It is now expected to arrive in late September or early October.

Commissioner Mason, eager to see the languishing hen issue resolved before she leaves the Board in November, brought the matter up, trying to gain support to draft and advertise an Ordinance based on the success in the City of Sarasota. 

But Commissioner Robinson redirected the three Commissioners present (Commissioner Caragiulo had to attend to a matter in Sarasota) to the staff report recommendation that included an added “outreach” provision. Mason withdrew her original motion and moved the staff recommendation, which ultimately passed 4-0, but not before a few concerns were raised.

Here's the staff recommendation: Should the Board recommend the implementation of a "backyard chicken" ordinance, similar to the City of Sarasota's, staff will schedule workshops for both North and South County, as well as facilitate discussion with neighborhood associations such as the Council or Neighborhoods Association (CONA). Staff would also request CLUCK's assistance in providing information and education with these discussions. Subsequent to the workshops, a Board authorization to advertise item will be scheduled to deliver the results of those outreach efforts, as well as, discuss the processing of a proposed Ordinance.

Commissioner Robinson, assuring those assembled that she was not creating roadblocks or speedbumps, asked staff to address “health aspects” that might include required vet visits or licensing. She also wanted clarification on code enforcement – specifically if CLUCK was going to provide a service comparable to what is available in the City of Sarasota where chicken-related calls are routed from paid city staff to CLUCK volunteers to save the City time and money. Commissioner Hines noted concerns from the Sheriff's office.

COMMENT: The report delivered to the Commission clearly stated that the County's Director of Health and Human Services, reviewing both information from the City of Sarasota and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "do not provide a recommendation for or against the keeping of backyard chickens."

As for the role of volunteers, CLUCK is now planning a May 25th evening meeting to explore that question. Details will be provided here, when that date and location are confirmed. 

Jennifer Schlinger-Ziegler Re-ignites County Chicken Campaign

Jennifer Schlinger-Ziegler lives in a zoning district that allows backyard chickens. But the dimensions of her property don't allow her to meet the onerous (50 foot) setback restrictions. When a neighbor turned her chickens in, she swung into action and, as a result, the Sarasota County Commission will be considering moving forward. Here is the email CLUCK sent to the Commissioners:

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Commissioners: On Tuesday March 8th you will be discussing backyard hens, possibly for the first time in 476 days (the matter of sentinel chickens was a separate, but related, issue).  

At that time a majority of the Board asked backyard chicken advocates to demonstrate that the level of community interest warranted moving forward:

Commissioner Mason: "I'd like to see just how much interest there is out there before asking staff to look into this further."

Commissioner Caragiulo: ". . .we don't want to put a burden of basically get everyone to agree to a point and then bring it back to us."   "I think it's a worthwhile discussion certainly. -- Frankly you do have gauge if there's any interest."

Commissioner Hines: "Before we change our zoning code, I think we ask is there a public interest in doing this beyond, you know,  five, ten, twenty people -- is there a public interest to do this?     And, so, rather than us trying to go out and explore that public interest. . ."  "We asked the folks to go out and maybe get some petitions signed or some information -- not necessarily bring in a bus of two hundred people (interruption)  and public comments to do it and to see if there's interest and that hasn't occurred . . "    "Maybe the timing is right, but if there's only twenty or thirty people in the county that wants this. . . that's what we've not heard". 

Commissioner Maio did not comment during the discussion.  

Tomorrow CLUCK will present additional petition signatures from Sarasota County residents that will bring the total submitted to you to over 1,260, which is 42 times more than thirty people threshold suggested by Commissioner Hines. 

In addition, we have over 900 members of our Sarasota C.L.U.C.K. Facebook group, although we have no easy way of discerning how many live in Sarasota County. 

But wait, there's more! 

I am attaching comments submitted by close to 500 people explaining why they support backyard hens in Unincorporated Sarasota County.

Sarasota CLUCK believes now is the time to act on this citizen initiative. Here's why:

• The experience in the City of Sarasota has been positive. Following the two year trial period the City Commission voted unanimously to make the changes permanent. Although many County residents believe they should be allowed to have more hens than City residents, CLUCK is suggesting the County start with the City approach to facilitate both education and enforcement. 

• Through the collection of signatures, CLUCK has demonstrated significant citizen interest, fulfilling the challenge issued by the Board in 2014

• CLUCK supports the City of Sarasota provision affirming that rules adopted by the boards of mandatory homeowner associations will take precedence over the County changes. In addition, CLUCK could accept a 90 period before any change would take effect to allow any homeowner Boards a chance to amend their rules. 

• Informal conversations with two of the largest neighborhood groups suggest a County approach modeled on the City of Sarasota would not be unduly controversial.

It is our hope, based on these facts, that the Commission will finally instruct staff to propose changes, based as closely as practicable on the successful City of Sarasota experience, that could be brought to the Board for consideration and subsequently advertised for a hearing.