Will County to consider new chicken ordinance
By Tony Graf tgraf@stmedianetwork.com June 23, 2012 9:36PM
Updated: July 25, 2012 6:46AM
The Will County Board next month will consider an ordinance that would allow the keeping of backyard chicken coops in some unincorporated residential areas, with certain restrictions, a county board member said Saturday.
That is good news for Kindra Garrabrant, a Wheatland Township resident who owns a coop in her Rivercrest Drive yard in the Plainfield area. Garrabrant has received a letter from the county land use department, saying that keeping the chickens is against the law. On Friday, The Herald-News detailed her arguments on the educational, environmental and family benefits of keeping backyard chickens.
The county board will meet at 9:30 a.m. July 19 at the Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St. in Joliet.
At that meeting, the board is scheduled to vote on an ordinance that contains the backyard chicken coop provision, said board member Tom Weigel, R-New Lenox, chairman of the land use and development committee.
The full text of the ordinance is available on the website www.renewingwillcounty.com.
Scroll down to the bottom lefthand side of the home page, and click on the link “Will County Zoning Ordinance Public Hearing Draft Released.”
The chicken coop provision is located on Pages 10-3 and 10-4.
On Friday, Garrabrant was informed by the county of the issue to come up at the July 19 meeting. In the meantime, however, she is expecting another noncompliance letter.
On Saturday, Garrabrant said she was looking forward to attending the county meeting. She said she has received several phone calls in support of her efforts, and also has been approached in person by people with positive comments.
“It’s been nothing but positive and supportive,” she said.
