The Alternative Press

MAPLEWOOD, NJ - In an effort to promote a food source that will sustain our population for the future while providing another means of profit for community residents hit hard by the Great Recession, Maplewood Township is looking into allowing the raising of egg-laying chickens in residential areas.

Reesa Solomon, the chair of the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on a Backyard Chicken Pilot Program, outlined the idea for the Township Committee at its meeting on Tuesday.

In introducing Solomon, Fred R. Profeta Jr., deputy mayor for the environment, said the proposal represents a move toward sustainable and affordable food resulting from egg production.

The subcommittee chair proposed amending the township’s current prohibition on chickens to allow a one-year pilot program permitting the raising of backyard chickens. The pilot program would consist of 15 households drawn by lottery with three households drawn from each of the following Maplewood neighborhoods:

• Hilton
• Tuscan
• South Mountain
• Clinton
• Jefferson

She added if there were less than two interested households in a particular neighborhood, an applicant would be pulled at random from all remaining entries to reach a total of 15 participants. 

The program would allow those in single-family homes to keep laying hens for household egg gathering; roosters would be prohibited; there would be a maximum of five chickens per property, chickens would not be allowed to run at large and diseased chickens would have to be removed.

Chickens and their enclosures would be at least 10 feet from property lines,  30 feet from neighboring homes and behind the setback line.

Chicken coops would have to remain in good repair with a floor impervious to moisture, waterproof, free from rats and vermin and in clean and sanitary at all times.

The township would charge a permit fee of $100 per year to cover health inspection costs.

Solomon added that a number of neighboring communities in Essex County currently allow chickens within their limits “without any problems.”

She noted each property owner involved would secure his or her chickens against predators.

Responding to concerns both from Committeeman Marion K. Brownlee and Mayor Victor DeLuca about the size of the proposed fee, Profeta said the fee could be adjusted if necessary,

Township Attorney Roger J. Desiderio, responding to Committeeman Gerard W. Ryan, said the township would have to amend its zoning laws to allow the chicken coops as an accessory use, particularly in the R-1 and R-7 zones, and health codes would have to be amended in addition to lifting the ban on chickens in Maplewood.

DeLuca added the 30-foot and 10-foot prohibitions would make it impossible for many residents to take advantage of the program. He suggested those residents having trouble meeting the lot-line qualifications be allowed to conduct chicken businesses if they obtained “signoffs” from surrounding neighbors.

Also, he advocated a “sunset” provision that would require the Township Committee to take affirmative action making the pilot program permanent or the program would end.

Responding to another question from Ryan, Solomon said the committee had chosen the five neighborhoods so that it could make the program available to those of all socio-economic backgrounds in all areas of the community.

On another matter, Ryan reported the township Planning Board had approved the township’s Master Plan re-examination report.

He recommended that a number of township agencies review the various proposals. For example:

• The Development Committee will examine redevelopment issues.
• The Township Committee will meet with planners so it can recommend amendments concerning different categories of businesses in the community.
• The Planning Board will study and act on other zoning changes.
• The Village Alliance and the Planning Board will review recommendations on design.
• The Historic Preservation Commission will review the plan’s recommendations concerning mansions.

While Profeta endorsed a general statement in the master plan committing the township to sustainability, Ryan said the plan should go beyond that to set sustainability standards for certain items such as providing incentives to builders proposing the construction of sustainable structures.

On the $1,060,000 in additional state aid that the South Orange-Maplewood School District is scheduled to receive this year, the Township Committee was unanimous in its opinion that the additional aid should go directly to tax relief.

The district school board, in its meeting on Monday, indicated it was not inclined to use the entire amount for tax relief, endorsing additions or restorations of education items and staff instead.

State officials gave school districts until 4 pm Tuesday to approve use of their increased aid totally for tax relief this year. As of last night, township officials had no indication that the local district had done so.

Profeta, noting the Board of School Estimate passed this year’s budget by a single vote, said the school estimate body should keep the board’s use of the increased aid in mind next year when considering the school budget.

Although sympathizing with the board’s need to maintain education, Brownlee said he was disappointed the school body had not used the extra funds for tax relief.

He added the board should realize the township has had to make tough budgetary decisions also, some impacting services such as police and fire.

The mayor said it was inappropriate to put off tax relief for future years.

He added it was incorrect to say the additional aid only would mean about an extra $46 for each household in the school district when the district received more than $1 million that could be distributed among all the households in the district.

“They made the wrong decision,” he said.

Both Ryan and Vice Mayor Kathleen M. Leventhal agreed that extra aid should go to tax relief.

On another township budgetary matter, Township Administrator Joseph F. Manning said recently-enacted employee health care contribution levels would take effect for township management, library and police dispatch employees and those not covered by bargaining units effective with the first paycheck in August.

Revisions due to pension reforms probably would not affect township employees until next year, he added.