Chicken Ordinance Draws Kids to Assembly Meeting

Chicken looks into camera. Photo by Stewart Black / Flickr
Chicken looks into camera. Photo by Stewart Black / Flickr

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

It’s not often that a child gives public comment at a Kodiak Island Borough Assembly regular meeting, but last week, a 10-year-old stood up for the right to keep chickens and roosters.

On Thursday the assembly held a public hearing on an ordinance that would put a temporary hold on poultry restrictions in certain areas of the borough until the Planning and Zoning Commission can review that code.

No one stepped up during the actual public hearing, but Thor Berestoff made his statement during general public comment at the beginning of the meeting.

“When you were a kid did you want pets and you got it and you had to get rid of it because it bit you? Farm animals won’t make you bleed. Well, when I was younger a dog bit me in the face. Now people ask me what happened to your face. I felt mad. It’s weird to ask you [about your] imperfection. Like, do you have an extra toe? Chickens are helpful a lot. They give you eggs. And also roosters wake you up. That meant I was never late to wake up to make my lunch.”

Soon after, Oni Thomas took her turn at the mic and talked about the chicken wrangler in her family, her 13-year-old daughter, who sat in the audience.

“She’s had chickens for the last 10 years. Her favorite chicken is eight years old. She’s had her organic egg business for five years now. She’s got dozens of customers. We can’t supply all of her customers. If the moratorium does not pass, then my daughter and I will be in violation and we are supposed to give up our chickens that we’ve had for years.”

Assemblyman Larry LeDoux was pleased about the number of kids who got involved in the code change process.

“If there’s one really good thing that comes from it are the number of young people that had a chance to come and testify and find out hopefully that speaking before the assembly or being a part of government does make a difference, ‘cause I certainly heard their voice and I think they were a good part of it.”

The assembly passed the moratorium, which will put a stop to restrictions until the Planning and Zoning Commission can review the livestock limitations in title 17 of the borough code. The process may take months, so the moratorium means people will not be fined for violations during that period.

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