Here Is My Wife's Letter ...

"Dear Council Members,

I have been following the topic of backyard hens for months. After reading Friday's published workshop packet presentation this morning, I felt compelled to write to you to make sure you heard my voice of being in favor of amending the current City ordinance to allow backyard hens in the R-1 zone.

I support backyard hen ownership.

I do not believe that the conclusion of the workshop packet is fair or balanced. To dismiss all the benefits that are factual and true, while siding with concerns that are "potential", few, and that have working solutions for, is something I encourage you to reflect on.

The benefits are real and important to families, neighbors and neighborhoods. The conclusion should have been in the mindset of working together to develop a plan to make this work. Or, the conclusion should have left it up to the Council to draw their own conclusions. But, to have written such a negatively biased and unbalanced conclusion is not right. Nor is it accurate.

The report clearly states that the City only receives approximately ten (10) complaints annually.

Please keep this in mind when the City Employee presents to you on Wednesday. Every time you hear a statement of "potential" and "possible" remember the residents of Bakersfield are already making this work. Only approximately ten (10) annual complaints. Backyard hen ownership is everywhere in our city in R-1 neighborhoods. It has been for years. Ownership numbers have been going up over the past years while complaints have been going down. This is factual. Remember, only approximately ten (10) annual complaints.

Please ask the City Employee who presents to you on Wednesday at 3:30 to justify the stated conclusion. It just doesn't make sense, and it is not right to keep the benefits of hen ownership from the families of Bakersfield.

I support backyard hens.

Sincerely,"