After January 1, 2011, Salem residents will be allowed to keep up to three hens in their yards. IT’S ABOUT TIME! Shame the city had to make it so onerous for everyone though: Because city staff have been directed to start a chicken licensing system that will require IT programming, training of third-party vendors, creation of forms, and altering the city website, implementation of Ordinance Bill 19-10 will take longer than the typical 30 days required for enactment after a bill’s second reading. Vendors, forms, licensing ($50!) (is that annually?), inspections? Sheesh. Sorry, this is a pet peeve of mine. I don’t often see the black helicopters, but I sometimes wonder how much longer we will be allowed to produce our own food in our backyards. Salem residents, congratulations on finally seeing this through a council vote. Those of you who choose to raise hens will find them quite...
