Marengo’s ban on backyard chickens will remain in place

Backyard chickens will stay banned in Marengo after an informal poll indicated a small majority of City Council members didn’t want to move ahead with a proposal to let homeowner keep the birds.

Some council members had concerns about having adequate staff to enforce regulations, and one council member wanted to bring the measure back later once local code enforcement officials are better equipped to oversee such an ordinance.

The City Council in July 2023 voted down a proposed ordinance that would have permitted chickens in town.

According to city records, several residents spoke in May in favor of permitting chickens, though one community member opposed the ordinance, saying he didn’t think it could be enforced.

When the City Council took up the discussion then, three aldermen expressed support for the ordinance.

The Council discussed the matter again Monday evening, when resident Chris Anderson asking the city to approve the chicken ordinance. He said he’d heard the Council’s concerns and did a little research.

“Chickens, they’re in bed by sundown. Frankly they’re more well-behaved than half the teenagers in town,” Anderson said. He added the city doesn’t ban sheds or fences because one “looks bad” and asked for some “reasonable” design guidelines for coops.

“We’ll make them tidy, tasteful,” Anderson said.

He also said the city isn’t a homeowners association and that’s the “beauty of it. We live here because we value freedom, common sense and the right to paint your house pink if you want to.”

He suggested Marengo doesn’t need an ordinance for chickens and could handle violations the same way it would other nuisances.

Before getting further into the discussion Monday, council members took a straw poll, whose results were announced by city attorney David McArdle: 4-3 against the chickens.

Alderperson Amanda Damisch said the item was something the Council should table for now “with a commitment” to revisit it in the future, especially given community interest in the topic.

Anderson addressed the Council following the straw poll, saying its results made clear the Council isn’t interested in permitting chickens. After Anderson’s comments, several members of the public walked out of the meeting.