KITTERY, Maine — Is it foul for fowl to roam one’s property? Some Kittery residents have lodged complaints about chickens and roosters kept for non-farming purposes around town.

The Town Council is responding and will begin next month to consider a town-wide plan to amend Title 6 of the town code, regarding animal control. The changes would regulate residents keeping fowl domestically and for noncommercial use.

“The request was brought forward due to growing complaints from different neighborhoods where chickens and roosters are causing real and perceived negative community impacts relative to noise, odor, and increased rodents and predators,” Town Manager Kendra Amaral wrote in a report to the council.

On Monday, Amaral presented a draft of the ordinance to the Town Council, which pertains to the keeping of nine fowl or fewer.

“We broadened it to fowls because we knew that there is a growing trend for not only the keeping of chickens, but (for) ducks, geese and turkeys,” Amaral said. “So, we figured, let’s cover all our bases at once.

“We’re in the early stages of this and questions and concerns will help refine it,” she added this week following the meeting.

Some complaints have been made about fowl kept in the Admiralty Village area, according to Amaral.

An existing ordinance in the town code outlines requirements for property owners keeping poultry animals. However, the ordinance only applies to Kittery residents with 10 or more poultry on their properties.

No roosters on smaller properties?

If ultimately approved, the ordinance would prohibit Kittery property owners from keeping roosters, unless their lot is larger than one acre.

The proposed ordinance’s language states fowl must be secured in an enclosure or pen during non-daylight hours. In the daytime, the ordinance would allow for fowl to be in an enclosure or within a fenced yard or portable pen.

All pens and enclosures would be considered a building as described in town code and would need to comply with all land-use procedures and setback requirements. Each fowl enclosure must be “permeable” to rodents and predators, including dogs and cats, and provide ventilation.

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“The fowl enclosure must be kept clean, neat, and in a sanitary condition at all times, in a manner that will not disturb the use or enjoyment of neighboring lots due to perceptible noise and odor at the property boundary, or other adverse impacts directly related to the keeping of fowl,” the proposed amendment to Title 6 reads in part.

Manure, uneaten feed, waste and trash “associated with the keeping of fowl” wouldn’t be allowed to accumulate “or provide for a breeding place for insects or rodents,” the proposed ordinance adds.

What are next steps for fowl ordinance proposal in Kittery?

“What we’re doing is we’re recommending the council have a workshop and take public input on this because we do know that fowl are not only a means of domestic food production, which part of our climate action plan is to support domestic food production, but they’re also considered pets,” Amaral said Monday.

The Town Council voted unanimously to schedule a workshop on March 25 to discuss the matter and hear from residents.

“This is going to be something where we encourage the council (to) take your time and make sure you’re hearing from all the people that you can about the ordinance before adoption,” Amaral said at the meeting.

“We do want public input at that meeting,” council chairperson Judy Spiller stated Monday.

Town Council members Cameron Hamm and Scott Mason were not present for the meeting Monday.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Chicken and fowl ordinance would set rules in Kittery, Maine