NBV council balks at chicken ownership
The birds were banned Tuesday despite a veto by Mayor Craig Ambrose.
North Belle Vernon Council overrode a veto from the mayor Tuesday and passed an ordinance that will prohibit the ownership of chickens in the borough.
The issue has been a bit of a hot topic for council, with varying opinions on the best way to regulate the farm animals.
In May, council discussed complaints from some residents who aren’t fond of chickens popping up in yards and coops throughout their neighborhoods.
The borough’s ordinance formerly stated that residents are not permitted to own pigs, but there was no mention of chickens.
A new ordinance was drafted and brought up in June that would go a step further to limit the number of chickens property owners are permitted to have. Instead of voting on the ordinance last month, council decided to have it rewritten again to allow people who already own chickens in the borough to be grandfathered in so they wouldn’t have to get rid of the birds.
The redrafted ordinance was reintroduced Tuesday, and Solicitor Mark Ramsier said it had been rewritten to not permit chickens in the borough.
However, those who already own the birds will be allowed to keep them for three years, as long as they comply with other stipulations for their care.
Mayor Craig Ambrose didn’t support that change.
“So you won’t allow chickens in this town at all?” He asked. “Not even two or three for someone to get eggs from?”
Councilman Harry Jones pointed out that there were only a few borough residents who currently own the animals.
“OK, so then why worry about it?” Ambrose said, adding that he would support limiting the number of chickens someone could own.
All five council members in attendance, Paula Usher, Harry Jones, Karen Jones, Jack Curran and Jon Wasicek voted to pass the ordinance in a roll call vote.
President Brett Berish and Randy Foringer were absent.
Ambrose quickly stepped in with a veto.
“I’m new to this, so what does that mean? It’s not an ordinance?” Harry Jones asked.
“No, it’s not,” Ambrose said. “I don’t think you should be allowed to take food from someone. If you had set a limit on the number of chickens I would not have had a problem, but to say no one in this town can own a chicken, I have a problem with that.”
Harry Jones repeated his stance that allowing the animals will create a bigger problem down the line.
“If someone has five, then someone gets 10 and then you have a whole flock and people have to live next to that,” he said, adding that he wasn’t sure how limits could be enforced.
“If we allow three and they pull up and someone has six, what happens then? What do we do with them?” Harry Jones asked before taking a poll of the audience on who does not want to permit chickens in the borough.
A few hands raised, but residents seemed more concerned with other issues, along with how it would be enforced.
Daryl Sterner said he did not have an opinion one way or another.
“They (borough code and police) have enough on their plate,” he said. “Either have them or don’t have them.”
According to Title 8, every ordinance passed by council must be presented and receive approval from the mayor.
If a mayor approves an ordinance, it is signed and takes effect. If the mayor does not, the ordinance has to be presented to council again with objections and revisited at the next scheduled meeting, at least 10 days after the ordinance was presented.
Under Title 8, council should reconsider the ordinance at the meeting when the vetoed ordinance was re-presented, and a majority of council plus one member would have to vote in support of the ordinance to override the veto and have it take effect.
Before the meeting adjourned, Ramsier told council members they could reconsider the ordinance if they wished and would require a roll call vote.
With Ambrose previously making his objections clear, a motion was made to revisit the ordinance. Council opted to not make any changes and it passed as it was originally presented..
