Being mindful of other people’s feelings is part of being a good neighbor.

While most of us get along fine with others, there unfortunately is a small portion of the population who do not.

These are the neighbors who light fireworks on a weeknight two weeks before the Fourth of July. They are also the same people who let their dogs do their business in another person’s yard without picking up the waste.

Why people act this way is anyone’s guess. They either don’t care what other people think or are simply incapable of understanding how their actions affect others.

They will continue to live in our neighborhoods, making life a little less enjoyable for everyone else.

The existence of these people is one good reason why the City of Niles should not allow residents to keep chickens in residential areas.

Most people would follow the rules. They would keep only the allowable number of chickens (four or less) and they wouldn’t try to sneak in a rooster (not allowed). They would keep the chicken coop clean and odor free (if that is possible) and they wouldn’t let the chickens loose in the neighborhood (although accidents do happen).

They would do these things because most of us are good people who care about the wellbeing and feelings of our neighbors.

Unfortunately, there is a small portion of people who would not follow the rules, causing more harm than good if the Niles City Council votes to approve the chicken ordinance next month.

As many have already said, the city does not have the staff or the resources to enforce the ordinance. That means that many violations would either go unchecked or force city staff to stop doing more important work to resolve a chicken ordinance dispute.

We understand there are many people who want to have chickens.

We don’t even think that having chickens is a bad thing. Urban chickens have worked in many other communities across the country. There are many benefits to having chickens, including promoting sustainable living and, perhaps, companionship.

In this case, however, we believe the potential for negative impact outweighs the potential for a positive one.

The required 15-foot setback for a chicken pen from a neighbor’s property is not very far — especially if you are outside having lunch in full view of your neighbor’s chickens. Most city lots just aren’t that big.

Ultimately, we believe it is less harmful to tell a person they can’t have a chicken in their backyard than it is to force a person to live next door to someone who has a chicken, especially if the chicken owner is not a responsible one.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.