Last fall, Councimember Tommy Wells introduced legislation that would allow residents to raise chickens. DCist offers a good explanation on how the legislation would work: "Under the proposal, you'd have to get nearly all of your neighbors to consent before you could legally keep chickens in your backyard, which would be awfully tricky for some people, and you couldn't have a rooster, only hens. Now we'll just have to wait and see whether the rest of the Council are too chicken to go along."

Chickens on every stoop? Not quite. If the Hill East listserv is any indication, getting residents to agree on the issue seems impossible.  After much clucking, the Hill East listserv has had it with even debating the subject. Today at 1 p.m., "Patrick" writes:

"I think the on-going discussion on this List about this topic for the last number of days indicates that there is a significant amount of opposition to changing the current DC rules and ordanances for urban chickens.

The proponents of this change have tested the waters. It has created a considerable amount of debate, but it is apparent that the majority of residents don't want chickens in their back yards.

Is that not enough to encourage the proponents to be good neighbors and drop the issue or is it about inflicting the desires on the few onto everyone else?"

"Everett" thinks Patrick should stop counting his chickens before they hatch. The debate is far from settled:

"I would agree in every way with this post, except that I think the length of this "debate" indicates a significant amount of support for changing the current DC regulations to permit urban chicken husbandry. Moreover, I think this debate has really made clear that while a majority of residents may not want to personally keep chickens, most would certainly support a change in regulations that would permit their neighbors to do so. Also, I think this debate has really highlighted the fact that most people in Newhilleast prefer Sanka over Nescafe."

Read More "Urban Chicken Debate Lights Up Hill Listserv" »

The Examiner reported last week that Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells "is proposing to erase rules that prohibit fowl within 50 feet of any building 'used for human habitation.'" Essentially, us Washingtonians would no longer be forbidden to raise chickens in our backyards.

The article says the bill "was drafted on behalf of a Capitol Hill family," who used their small backyard to house eight hens until animal control intervened. Well's Chief-of-Staff, Charles Allen, said that the family and a few friends approached the Councilmember to request legislation.

"This is all part of that sustainable urban life we're trying to create," Allen said, evoking the recent spike in the popularity of community gardening.
Read More "Coming Soon: Chicken Legislation!" »

In Shaw writes on chickens in the city: "As I remember, I thought there were laws on the books that in one way or another say no to chickens. Just to make sure I checked The City Chicken, which according to it's chicken law page says, 'Washington D.C. Housing chickens here violates health laws and is not legal.'
Then I checked the online DC Code, plugging in Chicken, poultry and fowl...."

The Georgetown Metropolitan wonders: Does Jack Evans Abuse Parking Laws? There are incriminating photos of Evans' car clearly parked illegally---that is if he were just an average citizen. It is an open question whether he actually deserved a ticket.

Borderstan notes that construction has begun at the 17th-S-and-New Hampshire dog park. Post includes photos! Still, the project might be behind. The writer wonders: "I have not heard anything new on the opening date other than 'spring.' Anyone know anything more about a specific date?"

Bureaucrat310 chronicles a rough commute: "On this particular morning I was running late. Just as I descended into the columbia heights metro station I noticed that the next train would be arriving in 2 minutes. I hustle, run to the turnstile, swipe my card and get the dreaded 'go see a customer service agent' warning..."

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Chickens Coming Home To Roost" »