News-Record.com

Did Greensboro city planners request a change to a chicken ordinance just to make one citizen group happy? Last Tuesday night Councilman Robbie Perkins wanted to know whether the proposed chicken ordinance amendment was really in the best interest of the entire city.

Where will the influence-peddling chicken lobby stop?

“If, for example…someone wants to encourage an ordinance that goats be allowed in the backyard,” he asked, in response to a text message he received from a constituent during the council meeting, “where would you take that?”

City Planner Dick Hails assured Perkins that the city staff believed the ordinance needed to be changed. But what he didn’t tell Perkins was the city already allows people to keep goats in backyards.

Urban farmers take note: the city municipal code allows homeowners to keep goats on lots as small as 10,000 square feet (less than a quarter of an acre of land) so long as they meet the 50-foot setback requirements and they have no more than one goat per 5,000 square feet of open land.

Same goes for sheep. Horses and cows are OK, too, although they require a bit more property.

So farm on, Greensboro. But do invite Councilman Perkins to visit your petting zoo.