⚖️ Zoning Board of Appeals

ZBA Grapples With 1931 Animal Code: Fowl Means Any Bird, Split Vote on Coop Setbacks

Name: ZBA Grapples With 1931 Animal Code: Fowl Means Any Bird, Split Vote on Coop Setbacks
Uploaded: 2026-06-16T19:00:00-04:00
Duration: 43 min 21 s
Description: The Zoning Board of Appeals voted to define fowl as 'a bird of any kind' and split 3-2 on whether coops can stay within 50 feet of property lines, after parsing ambiguous language in a zoning provision dating to the village's founding.

Jun 16, 2026 6495 words transcribed

The Zoning Board of Appeals voted to define fowl as 'a bird of any kind' and split 3-2 on whether coops can stay within 50 feet of property lines, after parsing ambiguous language in a zoning provision dating to the village's founding.

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Key Actions & Decisions

● Adopted Merriam-Webster definition of domestic animal

● Defined fowl as 'a bird of any kind' (Merriam-Webster first definition)

● Voted 3-2 that fowl may be penned or housed within 50 feet of a lot line

● Approved draft minutes from May 19, 2026 (with spelling correction)