The citizens of Belgrade will decide whether to legalize backyard chickens following a City Council vote Monday to put the question on the general election ballot next November.
The councilâs unanimous decision came after the fairly brief testimony of a handful of citizens and a few minutes of discussion among council members and city staff. Mondayâs meeting was held entirely over Zoom due to COVID transmission concerns.
The relatively limited discourse Monday was just the latest in a years-long effort by chicken proponents to convince city councils past and present to legalize the keeping of domestic chickens. The proposal has been voted down four times since 2009, most recently in 2018.
Chicken petition falls but hope remains belgrade-news.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from belgrade-news.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Editorâs note: Proponents of legalizing backyard chickens in Belgrade addressed the City Council at its meeting Monday. The following remarks were made by Ashley Fiske, one of the organizers of the unsuccessful effort to secure enough valid petition signatures to put the matter before voters next November (see related story, Page A1). We are printing her statements here because her description of the petition drive process, particularly during a year complicated by a pandemic and busy general election season, is both interesting and informative.
I am here today to speak to the journey that we have taken over the last three months.