Thursday, April 18, 2013
Township family lobbies council to nix town restriction on raising chickens
The backyard chicken movement has moved the neighboring town of Teaneck. New Milford's Jeff DelVecchio has been a strong voice in trying to have the Board of Health's 1968 ordinance prohibiting chickens lifted. However, despite his appeals to the Mayor and Council, the Board of Health ordinance still stands. Now a Teaneck family is hoping to have Teaneck's ban on raising backyard chickens repealed. Ita Barak and her son, Yoni, recently made their case to allow residents to raise the birds at a township council meeting. Sustainability and a steady supply of healthy food were some of the reasons cited to allow the birds in Teaneck backyards. "The backyard chicken is one large step to sustainable living," Yoni told council members. The …
Thursday, June 7, 2012
President of Board of Health tells DelVecchio that the Board's decision to deny his request to revise ordinance banning backyard chickens stands.
Marlene Slavin, President of New Milford's Board of Health, informed Jeffrey DelVecchio, the self-proclaimed "Chicken Outlaw," that the board stands by their original decision to deny his request to revise the 1968 borough ordinance banning the keeping of backyard chickens, despite the fact that no one on the board could cite the original intent of the ban. Slavin said that New Milford, with 16,000 residents, is too densely populated an area to keep chickens. She said that keeping chickens should require at least a one or two acre plot of land. In informing DelVecchio of the Board's final decision, Slavin said, "This is over." All the DelVecchio family wanted to do was to reduce their carbon footprint. They never knew they were breaking …
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
With chickens in undisclosed location, Jeff Delvecchio is on a mission to bring Scrappy Coco and friends home.
Former "Chicken Outlaw" Jeff DelVecchio appeared before the mayor and council Monday night asking them to consider forming a Green Team as part of becoming a Sustainable Jersey community. Sustainable New Jersey is a certification program for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term. Standing before the mayor and council, DelVecchio cited Lyndhurst as a town that allows backyard chickens--they are licensed like dogs and cats. He also mentioned one man's fight in Wayne that mirrors his. Wayne allows the keeping of up to 25 chickens on two or more acres, but resident Victor Alfieri has three hens on a much smaller lot and is fighting to get the …
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Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Jeff DelVecchio appears before mayor and council to appeal Board of Health's 1968 ordinance banning chickens.
Self-described "Chicken Outlaw" Jeff DelVecchio appeared before the mayor and council Monday to appeal the Board of Health's decision to enforce the borough's 1968 ordinance banning the keeping of chickens. DelVecchio's appearance was to gain clarity about the extent of the Board of Health's powers and determine what recourse he has with the mayor and council to appeal their decision. Borough Attorney, Mark Madaio, explained that the Board of Health is an autonomous board that writes and enforces its own ordinances without interference from the mayor and council. Mayor Ann Subrizi explained that there are three bodies that oversee borough ordinances: Subrizi said that the mayor and council oversees the general ordinances and has no …
Thursday, March 8, 2012
In another installment of the Chicken Chronicles, Jeffrey DelVecchio asks the board to amend an ordinance banning the keeping of chickens.
If the Board of Health's ordinance stands, Jeffrey DelVecchio will have to find a new home for Scrappy Coco, Fluffy 1, Fluffy 2 and his three other nameless, but just as beloved, chickens. However, the chickens aren't flying the coop just yet — at least not without a fight. DelVecchio ardently believes that change can be affected through persistence and education. That is why he attended the Board of Health meeting on Wednesday armed with information about the keeping of chickens, hoping to educate the board and to find out the reasoning behind their cursory denial of his request to amend the borough's 1968 ordinance prohibiting chickens. He also provided them with a copy of the signatures he has obtained through his on-line petition. …
Monday, March 5, 2012
Chicken eviction scheduled this week
They are legal in Franklin Lakes, Mahwah, Oakland, Wyckoff, Ridgewood, Montclair, West Milford, Kinnelon, and Jersey City. Surprisingly, they are also allowed in New York City and Brooklyn. But they are not welcome in New Milford. Chickens. Backyard chickens. Specifically, hens. According to borough ordinance, "No poultry shall be kept or permitted to be kept in the Borough." But Jeffrey DelVecchio is taking steps to change that. He and his family have taken many steps towards leading a healthier and more eco-friendly life: installing solar panels, driving a Toyota Prius, growing their own vegetables and using biodegradable diapers. Raising chickens for fresh eggs just adds to the list of DelVecchio's green endeavors, but the Board of …
Jeffrey DelVecchio
2:48 pm on Sunday, April 21, 2013
Leslie, I would love to see a massive letter writing campaign. The last time I met with the BOH they told me I was the only person who had contacted them regarding keeping chickens. I know for a fact that was an outright lie. I had personally hand delivered letters to the Board from other residents. These letters included letters from the local Boy Scout troop who wanted to discuss the matter. … more ›