Meet The Neighbors

What You Might Be Seeing These Days If Your Peer Over Your Neighbors Fence...

Pohatcong Land Use Board meetings are usually fairly stolid affairs replete with discussion of all

sorts of dry technical and legal minutiae that only the hardiest of observers can withstand on any
regular basis. However, even this dullest of forums can suddenly erupt into a carnival of joyous, 

raucous levity if suddenly one were to introduce the topic of chickens into the evenings discussion. Yes, apparently  chickens just have that type of affect on people.

 

On this particular night, appearing before the Board, were two, chicken loving, township
residents who had run afoul of their neighbors over the boarding of several chickens
on their property in lower Pohatcong. While the outcome of this particular dispute
did not ultimately hinge on the right of these chicken custodians to house their flock in a
lawful manner it was clear that a couple of issues did present themselves.  Firstly,
our board members, though they did struggle mightily, could not resolve as to whether
or not the presence of chickens was permissible according to current municipal code. 
This after all, was not a farm property, but it did exist in a rural context so all seemed
to agree that I should be allowed, which was a good and sensible consensus opinion.

At discussions end, it was determined that an ordinance should be developed by Pohatcong
Town Council to address any current shortcomings that might exist in it's current code to
prevent future confusion - especially in light of the burgeoning movement on the part of
the general public for backyard chickens.  Will feathered residents one day outnumber the
two-legged variety in our town?  It seems things are certainly trending that way.