When the Atlantic City Council next convenes, they’ll act on a recommendation from the City’s Community Protection Committee, with regard to the allowing of chickens within the City limits. The CPC met Tuesday evening to discuss the amending of the City Code to allow chickens. The Committee voted 2-to 1 to recommend approval, with Gerald Brink voting No, Chris Jimerson and Ashley Hayes voting in favor of the recommendation.

If the Council approves, the matter will be return to the CPC to write the rules that will be incorporated into an amended ordinance. The re-write will then go back to the Council. Councilman Gerald Brink said no one he’s spoken with or heard from is in favor of allowing chickens inside the City limits, but Councilperson Hayes said she’s hearing just the opposite.

Brink said he doesn’t buy into the “eggs are cheaper if you raise chickens at home” point of view, saying “You can buy eggs for 49-cents a dozen…you’ve [still] got to feed the chickens.” Councilman Chris Jimerson said people who want chickens aren’t concerned about the price of eggs, as most were back when the Bird Flu hit Iowa. Hayes agreed. Jimerson said “This newer generation isn’t so much concerned about price. They’re concerned about the quality they’re getting,” and if they feed the chickens themselves, they know what goes into the final product. Hayes said also, that they can profit from the sale of eggs produced in excess of what they can use in their household.

Atlantic City Administrator John Lund said he’s checked with Red Oak, Shenandoah and Harlan about their poultry ordinances. Harlan doesn’t allow them, Red Oak allows a Farmland Animal permit, with the City Administrator conducting inspections. And Shenandoah only allows them in Agricultural areas outside of town.

Separately, the Committee was not in favor of allowing Ducks within the City limits, but if the “yes/no” measure is approved by the Council, that too will come back before the Committee for rule writing.