Documents › Board of Trustees Work Session, 2026-06-24

memo 1 page

A memo dated June 20, 2026, reporting research on best practices for keeping fowl on residential properties following a Village Board work session. It cites Cornell University's Small Farms Program on secured coops and sealed metal feed storage, Penn State Extension space standards and its recommendation that structures be kept 25 feet from property lines in urban settings, and USDA guidance on raising pigeons, including a common recommendation of 27 cubic feet of space per pair. It also notes New York City Department of Health and CDC guidance on diseases associated with pigeon droppings and backyard poultry, including bird flu and salmonella, while noting the risk of contracting a pigeon-related disease is rare.

Also attached to this agenda item: Memo from Valerie Monastra on Fowl%2FAnimals Proposed Language on Farm Animals and Fowl - June 2026 Proposed Language on Farm Animals and Fowl - May 2026

To: From: Date: June 20, 2026 Re: Research on Fowl (Chickens, Pigeons, etc.) Following the Village Board’s last work session, I have undertaken some research on best practices for keeping fowl on residential properties. Cornell University, through its Small Farms Program, provides recommendations for urban farming. They recommend that coops be secured and that all areas where fowl can roam be properly penned/fenced. Feed should be stored securely in sealed, metal containers, to avoid attracting rodents. Coops should be well ventilated to remove ammonia generated by manure and they should be cleaned regularly. Animal waste should be used or composted promptly and properly. Penn State Extension provides some specific measurements on coops: a minimum of 1 square foot per pound of body weight for permanent indoor confinement areas, 3 cubic feet of air per pound of body weight for permanent indoor confinement quarters and a minimum of 2 square feet per pound of body weight for permanent outdoor fenced areas. They also recommend that structures be kept 25 feet from property lines in urban settings. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has information available on raising pigeons in small and backyard flocks. The USDA notes that pigeons can be raised for meat production, exhibition or sporting (homing pigeons, racing pigeons, etc.). Regarding housing, the USDA states, “it is commonly recommended that you have 27 cubic feet of space for every pair of pigeons.” They further note that any pigeon coop needs to account for squabs during the breeding season. Regarding health concerns from fowl and poultry, the New York City Department of Health advises that “diseases associated with pigeon droppings include cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis and psittacosis.” They further note that the risk of contracting a pigeon-related disease is rare. The Centers for Disease Control also addresses the disease risk from backyard poultry (including chickens and ducks). Diseases that backyard poultry can spread include, “bird flu, campylobacter, E. coli, histoplasmosis and salmonella.” The CDC has detailed guidance for those who want to keep backyard poultry to ensure they remain healthy while doing so. Mayor Brian Pugh Trustees Stacey Nachtaler Nora Moriarty Nicholson Len Simon Maria F. Slippen Village Manager Bryan T. Healy Village Treasurer Genette Toone Village Clerk Pauline DiSanto Village Engineer Vincent Salanitro, P.E.