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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2015)
October 16, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com • 7A Latest Seaside lodging plan is ‘for the birds’ Local ordinance currently bans keeping poultry within city limits By Katherine Lacaze Seaside Signal A local resident believes there is a way to allow hens inside city limits without the safety, smell, noise and neighborhood disputes. Jennifer Barrett, towner of Hens’ Lodging Inc., peti- tioned Seaside City Council to amend the city’s chicken ban to make an allowance for hens, provided they are contained in chicken trac- tors or similar structures. The tractor is a bot- tomless, movable chicken “run” and nesting con- struction designed for a few hens. “Incorporating this concept into the ordi- nance will solve any and all problems that may have been faced by the city,” she said at the Sept. 28 council meeting. A city ordinance reg- ulating nuisances states residents cannot keep poultry — as well as live- stock, bees and other an- imals, except household pets — within city limits, unless authorized by City Council for educational or entertainment purposes. The ordinance has been on the books “since he can remember,” City Manager Mark Winstanley said. Citizens have brought requests to the city asking for a change that would al- low chickens, but nothing came of them, Winstanley said. Chickens are allowed in other jurisdictions along the coast, including Astoria, Warrenton, Gearhart and Cannon Beach. During a meeting Sept. 28, Barrett presented before City Council, sharing what she believes are the exist- ing problems with chickens in Seaside; the concept of the chicken tractor; and the idea of her company exper- imenting with tractors at a few locations. The problem with chickens Among the existing problems, Barrett cited ground and aerial preda- tors, from dogs and cats to hawks and eagles; chick- ens roosting in neighbors’ yards; chickens damaging landscaping; chickens wan- dering in streets; neigh- bors being bothered by the stench from droppings in coops or the noise; and at- tracting rats, raccoons or other rodents with open containers of food and wa- ter. Chicken tractors could help solve these problems while still allowing resi- dents to keep chickens as pets or a source of nutri- tion, Barrett said. Chicken tractors contain the hens and are impenetrable, pro- tecting chickens from both ground and aerial preda- tors. Barrett proposed only allowing hens, which ad- dresses the noise problem. The structures are bot- tomless, so droppings go to the ground, and hens scratch it into the ground, tilling and fertilizing soil. Upon moving the tractor to the next area, the ground under the tractor is ready to plant, if so desired, Barrett said. Because they are safe from predators and have semi-free range — within WKHFRQ¿QHVRIWKHPRYDEOH coop — the chickens tend to be happier. “They are free to do what they enjoy,” she said. Testing the idea Through her compa- ny, Barrett would like to place two tractors within KATHERINE LACAZE/SEASIDE SIGNAL Jennifer Barrett, owner of Hens’ Lodging Inc., petitioned Seaside City Council to allow residents to keep hens within city limits, an activity currently banned under the city’s nuisance ordinance. Barrett advocates for the city to incorporate chicken tractors, or other movable, bottomless structures, suitable for about four chickens, into the ordinance. city limits to experiment and demonstrate the use of the chicken tractor con- cept. One tractor would be placed at the Seaside American Legion Post 99 park area, where the Sea- side Farmers Market oc- curs. The American Legion agreed to the idea, as long as the city approves. The second location would be at the Railroad Park Com- munity Garden near U.S. Highway 101. The chicken tractor concept, Barrett told City Council members, “will make it possible for citi- zens of Seaside to enjoy chickens.” Additionally, it may en- courage more people to use their yard space for grow- ing gardens. Barrett feels the country is not in a state where citizens “can afford luxury right now, and lawns are a luxury.” Communi- ties should focus on “the idea of feeding each other and feeding ourselves,” she Dining on the said. Chickens can lay the groundwork for personal gardens is a step in the right direction. Her company, Hens’ Lodging Inc., is a whole- sale distributor of chicken tractors and similar mov- able coops. Whether people purchased structures from her, another distributor or built them personally, she advocates their use. “The concept is the best way to have chickens in your backyard,” she said. “There are just so many pluses about it.” The council members did not discuss the ordi- nance or Barrett’s petition at the meeting after her presentation. Unless City Council requests an ordi- nance change or decides to further the conversation, it will not be discussed at a future meeting, Winstanley said. “At this point, no one has said anything to me,” he said. North Coast OK, everybody, time to jump back into the pool! Grea t res ta ura nts in: G EAR H AR T | S EAS ID E | C AN N ON BEAC H JOIN US Thurs d a y’s for Rib s or 5 P M TO M ond a y’s for P rim e Rib 9 P M M A Z AT L A N Additional limited Menu items: Chicken, Seafood, Salmon, Steaks & Pastas M E X IC A N R E S T A U R A N T KATHERINE LACAZE/SEASIDE SIGNAL Lifeguard Lindsey Wolfe watches over the Sunset Pool from a new lifeguard stand, installed during the Sunset Empire Park & Recreation District’s annual maintenance, completed from Sept. 19 to 27. The pool reopened Sept. 28. S ea s id e Golf Cours e EST . 1923 451 Ave U, S easid e • 503- 738- 5261 w w w.s eas idegolfcours e.us Pho n e 5 03 -73 8-96 78 N EW CH EF Jim m y D u n k in B IG S C R EEN TV Women’s locker, shower room get makeovers both bodies of water, the lap pool and warm-water pool, at one time. District staff did most of the work, including paint- By Katherine Lacaze ing and power-washing. Seaside Signal The women’s bathroom The Sunset Pool cleaned project cost about $17,000 up its act during its recent and the district contracted annual maintenance shut- with a company in Port- down. The pool, part of the land. District staff originally Sunset Empire Park & Rec- reation District, was closed estimated the maintenance from Sept. 19 through 27 would take two weeks to while staff members thor- complete and set a reopen- oughly cleaned and painted ing date of Oct. 5. Since the ZRUNZDV¿QLVKHGHDUO\WKH the facility. “We try to keep it from pool reopened a week earli- showing signs of age and er, Sept. 28. Archibald said he did not wear, like putting founda- tion over wrinkles,” exec- receive complaints about utive director Skyler Ar- the facility being closed to patrons during the annual chibald said. Most importantly, the maintenance shutdown. “We try to schedule it at women’s shower and lock- HU URRP JRW QHZ ÀRRULQJ a time when it will impact and grates so water from as few people as possible,” the shower drains properly, Archibald said. Most pa- Archibald said. In the past, trons, he added, “under- water from the showers stand there’s just certain would puddle in areas in things we can’t do when the bathroom. Staff sopped we’re open. This is a nec- it up several times per day essary thing we have to do to prevent sanitary issues, to keep the place looking “but it was unsightly,” Ar- nice.” The swim team was not chibald said. The area also got new partition walls and meeting and there were no swim classes scheduled toilets. A new, taller lifeguard during the second half of stand was positioned so the September. Programming person on duty can oversee resumed last week. 14 4 5 S. 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