The following letter to the editor was submitted by Newport resident Diana Mara Henry.
After last week’s Planning Commission meeting, it was decided that there is no point in limiting the number of chickens in Newport, and that a simple change to the bylaws requiring fencing and no roosters would suffice. As the Mayor requested that there not be an ordinance that would make more demands of the police department, and as the animal control officer, one of the Planning Commissioners reminded us, can do nothing about nuisance animals on private property but only about those that are loose. So as to the hens now said to be running around on the Bluff Road, the Planning Commission is working with animal control to use the tools at their disposal to ensure the public safety.
Anyone who has not attended one of these meetings because they think they might be boring should think again: at the last meeting, Newport’s most prominent citizen swore to shoot any chicken that came into his yard, at which point a couple of the Planning Commissioners alerted him to the fact that shooting is against the law within city limits. And it was brought out that the head of Planning has no written complaints for this most extensively debated measure of control for the half dozen or so homeowners who are making an effort to be locavores. However, it was snappishly agreed that any complainants henceforth would be required to “sign a paper” which should be reassuring to anyone who has been, is, or will be pursued by the city for planning action engendered by an alledged complaint.
Another Planning Commissioner has decided to drop his ongoing single-minded focus on “taking away the chickens” from those who have them now, and decided to extend his fellow-citizens respect and reprieve from threats and abuse. Most encouragingly, Mr. Charles Elliott has decided that his original enthusiasm for modeling Newport on South Burlington, requiring $30 licensing fee and “inspection,” followed by $10 yearly relicensing fees and “reinspection” is not worth the time and effort, given the handful of residents who would be involved, the clear language of the Vermont State code 24 V.S.A. 4413(d) forbidding zoning bodies to regulate poultry, and realizing that his focus and that of the Commissioners as a body would be more honorably and efficiently employed if turned to recouping the tax revenues lost by the unfulfilled commitment resulting in a derelict downtown and the non-payment of rents owed by contract for ships at the Gateway, which would engender at least a hundred times more revenue for his city.
Hurray for the Planning Commission! And if you think this is just wishful thinking, do come to the next Planning Commmission Meeting on Tuesday, September 15th at 7 p.m. at Newport City Hall and see for yourselves….
Diana Mara Henry
