Garner Approves Zoning Change to permit Backyard Hens

Councilman Kathy Behringer expressed her concerns for backyard hens but acknowledged that they likely stemmed from her own experiences growing up on a farm. She also acknowledged that the differing views were probably a result of differing generational views and that adopting this proposal would be “progressive and forward thinking” (way to work in your campaign slogan). She also raised a concern about the minimum height restrictions for open runs which had been proposed no less than 2 ft and no higher than 7 ft citing her own personal experience with renegade chickens at large on the farm.

Councilman Buck Kennedy was the most outspoken repeatedly citing his concern for the broad definition of ‘hens’ in the proposal insisting in the most amiable way as politicians do that language be changed to ‘chickens’ just in case someone may decide to have a peacock. He even suggested that there should be a requirement that the coop may not be located closer to a neighboring residence than it would be to their owners residence but that notion was defeated in debate by Councilman Singleton.

Councilman Jackie Johns, Sr. expressed the only humanitarian concerns for the hens when he expressed his opposition to excluding roosters citing “the girls might get lonely”.