Cockadoodle DON'T: City divided, chicken ordinance fails

Following a failed motion from Commissioner Rosalynn Bliss to delay the vote, the city chickens ordinance failed this evening 3-3. Bliss, Ruth Kelly and Mayor George Heartwell voted in favor of the proposal, while Walt Gutowski, Dave Shaffer and Elias Lumpkins opposed. Commissioner James White was absent from the vote.

The prospect of chickens in Grand Rapids gave rise to heated public debate over the last few months, and several commissioners tonight felt that they needed more information before they cast their vote. Others, like Commissioner Gutowski, argued that enough time has been spent on the issue.

"I have received a number of comments from constituents who really feel that our time could be used more wisely," stated Gutowski in opposition to the delay. Commissioner Bliss defended her request as follows, "Absolutely, we have a lot of things before us. That's part of our job. We multitask all the time."

Commissioner Lumpkins offered the absence of Commissioner White as a secondary reason to delay the vote, but the motion to postpone failed 3-3. Bliss then proposed an amendment to the ordinance which would require households to gain the written support of 100 percent of their neighbors before acquiring chickens. The original language required 50% support. This amendment also failed 3-3.

Pro-chicken commissioners felt that a middle ground could be reached on the issue with enough research and regulation. Those against it felt that the city's already strained resources would go to waste on the implementation of the ordinance. Commissioners on both sides stated that they were answering to their constituents with their votes.