This Thursday, May 26th the City of Bakersfield Backyard Chicken Initiative Facebook group is hosting a Zoom meeting at 6:00 PM.
You are all invited to join us.
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5046802920?pwd=z2Tbvr4p1og5MxR4hbVWQqMqHruvnc.1
Meeting ID: 504 680 2920
Passcode: qba9v0
Our meetings are designed to allow a little time at the start to welcome, support and uplift each other. Then, we discuss how to advance our purpose statement: "Respectfully work with the City to amend the current R-1 zone ordinance to allow for legal backyard hen ownership." After that, the meeting ends and participants are welcome to stay on to share and connect. We frontload the agenda with meaningful discussion so people with other responsibilities can participate then leave as needed. We keep the meetings short.
This meeting's topic is: "All you need to know to write and submit an editorial to the Bakersfield Californian." If you have a draft letter, you are welcome to share it. If not, join us to get ideas and to be inspired.
Again, we hope that you will join us, connect with the group and find out about opportunities that you would be comfortable doing to help our grassroots movement. We are engaged in many community outreaches, education and partnerships. It takes active citizens/members to participate to continue to move us forward with reaching our goals.
Here are some ideas that you might want to write an editorial on:
1. Your personal story - can't go wrong with that!
2. Chose one benefit that backyard hens provide and expand on it: healthy hobby for the family and children, nutritious eggs, compost for the garden and flower beds, hens eat bugs, food security, stress release, companion pet (for the lonely, anxious, dementia, autism, etc.), equity for 4H opportunities in the city, bio-recyclers (hens eat kitchen scrapes), lesson environmental footprint on our environment and inexpensive pets while being easy to care for.
3. CEQA environmental anonymous lawsuit
4. Disappointment with City Council regarding resending the approved ordinance
5. Popularity of backyard hens in other cities
6. Upcoming November City Council elections - We vote for "Bakersfield Hen Friendly" candidates
7. Inflation and how hens can help
8. Chicken Humor
9. Kern County residential homes allow backyard chickens
10. Bakersfield residents that want hens have already gone out and purchased them. So, align the ordinance with the practice. Stop making citizens criminals over hens.
11. The Backyard Hen Community is already established, thriving and supports each other
12. Ask, "City Council Members, who exactly are the citizens that you don't believe are responsible enough to be respected by allowing them to own hens in their own backyards?"
Remember to be positive and respectful with your words while telling the truth and making your points.
Hope to see you on Thursday, May 26th at 6:00 PM. Feel free to share/repost, bring a friend and continue to recruit new members. Our group is diverse, numerous and growing. Make sure you are part of it!
"Backyard hens is a reasonable and safe request that enhances the quality of life experiences for families and neighborhoods."