Planning Commission Counts Its Chickens, Bees

Some folks love chickens like any other household pets. To others, chickens are best only on the dining table.

Thus, the debate goes on in a town divided over the birds and the bees. There is, however, some progress in the argument over whether or not chickens and bees should be kept in residential areas of Corte Madera. The Planning Commission recently held its third public workshop to craft a proposal regarding the keeping of bees and chickens. That proposal is now headed for the Town Council.

It was obvious commissioner Richard Esteb was tired of talking about the birds and the bees. So, he's going to leave it up to his wife, Mayor Alexandra Cock, and the Town Council.

Esteb urged his fellow commissioners to wrap up its discussion of the rules regarding the keeping of bees and chickens within town limits. As he figured, the commission was only making a recommendation and the specifics could be tweaked by the Town Council. It seemed everyone on the commission and in the audience Tuesday was ready to settle on a set of rules.

The commission had drafted a proposal that said residents could keep up to eight chickens on parcels of land 7,500 square feet or less, up to 12 chickens on a parcel of land between 7,500 square feet and an acre, or up to 20 chickens on more than an acre.

The same proposal suggested beekeepers could have two colonies on less than a 1/4 acre of land, up to four colonies on land between 1/4 and a full acre, or eight colonies on more than an acre of land.

When the commission finally did bring down the gavel on the topic, not everyone was happy with the result, but they were satisfied to see it now move on to the Town Council.

There remain vocal protesters to the idea of keeping bees and chickens on residential properties. Diane Fafoutis and her family claim their neighbors' bees fly straight for their property. They also claim their neighbors' chickens are so noisy and smelly, they can't open their windows.

The town has sometimes turned a blind eye toward those who illegally keep chickens in their backyards. Amending existing legislation could make those operations legal.

All three candidates for the two Town Council seats on the Nov. 8 ballot have indicated they are in favor of allowing the keeping of bees and chickens in some fashion. Cock's campaign signs even depict a rooster, even though she has said publicly she would not support the keeping of roosters, goats or sheep on residential properties.

The next Town Council meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 18, although the Planning Commission's proposal is not on the agenda.