Closure Sighted on the Horizon for Town Council’s Ongoing Discussion of Poultry in Urban Agriculture

Among several items on the Front Royal Town Council’s agenda for Monday, April 8, starting at 7 p.m. in the Front Royal Town Hall at 102 East Main Street, was a revisitation in this work session for the final time before a vote at the council’s regular meeting on May 27, of a proposed amendment to Town code regarding poultry in urban agriculture. This is an issue that has sometimes sparked contentious discussions between council members. Councilwoman Amber Morris has spoken at length, expressing strong views in favor of a more hands-off policy on regulating urban agriculture, specifically as it relates to poultry.

Town Council meets for Monday night work session. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

As Planning Director and Zoning Administrator Lauren Kopishke explained to the council, staff has discovered contradictions in the Town Code pertaining to urban agriculture, and it stands in need of revision, regardless of whether the council reaches a consensus about the number of chickens allowed within Town limits and the square footage for coop and run space required. Councilwoman Morris acknowledges that she may not win this point. Still, she maintains that the requirements for four square feet of coop space per chicken and eight square feet of run space per chicken, requirements that are already practiced but not codified and would be codified by this amendment, are unreasonable. She would like to see chickens have the liberty to free-range in urban agriculture. However, the amendment would enforce the keeping of poultry in an enclosed, covered, secure, movable, or stationary coop, always with the requirements in terms of square feet. If the amendment passes, the number of chickens allowed for any permit holder will remain at six.

The council undertakes a virtual VDOT presentation. Adam Campbell of STARS (Strategically Targeted and Affordable Roadway Solutions) presents to the council on behalf of VDOT proposed solutions for safety concerns in the 340/522 corridor.

“When we ask this of Council,” Kopishke said of herself and her fellow staff members in an interview, “there is no corruption or malice behind the ask, no ulterior motive. It simply lets us reduce conflicts in the code so that we can do our jobs.” Aside from unifying, condensing, and removing discrepancies in the code, codifying the square footage requirements would give teeth to a practice already in place. Kopishke says that when permit holders do not abide by the uncodified requirements, inevitably, problems will arise that staff can address, like the accumulation of feces in a confined space. “Staff wants these policies standardized so that we can ensure these animals won’t be kept in anything less,” Kopishke went on. “So that when we go back for reinspection, we can ensure the welfare of the animal is being maintained.” She adds: “I can’t guarantee that when someone walks out the door with their approval, they built that coop and ran to our standards until I put eyes on it. Typically, that’s one year later unless I receive a complaint.”

Planning Director/Zoning Administrator Lauren Kopishke stands before the council twice on Monday evening to present a proposed edit and streamline of ordinance regarding spot blight abatement as well as an amendment to Town code related to urban agriculture.

Having discussed other complicating factors like whether commercial use would be allowed, which would not be under the proposed amendment, the council resolved to vote on this item at the May 27 regular meeting, as April’s regular meeting is coming soon enough that staff would not be able to advertise for the public hearing properly. Upon completing their agenda at 9:30 p.m., they went into a closed session.

Click here to watch the Front Royal Town Council Meeting of April 8, 2024.