The Village Board has decided to ease restrictions on keeping racing pigeons in residential neighborhoods.
Trustees enacted the rules last spring.
Trustees this month narrowly approved a new ordinance drawn up after village staff consulted with representatives of the American Racing Pigeon Union. The ordinance raises the maximum number of pigeons raised on any property from 20 to 40; cuts the required setback of pigeon lofts from 50 feet to 25 feet away from any property line; imposes a 144-square-foot size limit on lofts; and requires that owners clean their lofts at least once a week instead of every other day.
The new ordinance also requires pigeon owners to buy a license each year that costs $50 for 20 birds or fewer or $100 for 21 to 40 birds.
Trustee Michael Herlihy objected to a clause that requires residents to belong to an accredited pigeon racing association, such as the ARPU, in order to keep pigeons in the village.
“Why require pigeon keepers to be in an association?” he asked.
While Herlihy voted in favor of the ordinance even with that clause, Trustees Chris Faber, Vince Mancini and Mark Gaffino voted against it. Village President Dale Berman broke the tie with a yes vote. The board had unanimously approved the original pigeon-keeping ordinance April 5.
Herlihy also objected to the village changing an ordinance that applies to just one resident. In April he said he didn’t feel the village should create the ordinance because only one resident keeps pigeons in the village.
“Once again, we’re beating up an ordinance for one situation in town,” he said.
Source: Beacon News
