SANTA ANA — On Monday night the Santa Ana City Council approved the first reading of a proposed revision to a city ordinance regarding residents keeping up to four chickens in coops in their back yards. The prior ordinance restricted coops to at least 100 feet from a neighbors structure. At that distance most residents are unable to keep chickens on their properties. The revision changes the distance restriction to 30 feet.
Council member Sal Tinajero called on his colleagues to support the proposed change saying, “Don’t be chicken to vote for chickens.”
The proposed change does not allow the keeping of roosters, just egg laying hens. Allowing the keeping of roosters invites cock fighting and associated crimes and would not be a good idea.
Since the city is now on a course to amend its camping ordinance for chickens, it’s time for them to reconsider their ordinance prohibiting camping within the city limits. I’m thinking something like allowing camping from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This would allow homeless individuals to at least rest on a mat, sleep in a sleeping bag, and even set up shelter from the elements. By restricting the times, the city will be able to prevent the risk of a homeless tent city, like the one that inspired the current ordinance, from occurring.
While not as catchy as Tinajero’s statement, I encourage the City Council, don’t be chicken, to support the needs of your homeless residents.
Before anyone gets too excited read these important facts:
http://articles.latimes.com/1986-05-28/local/me-8071_1_roosters
Sal protects cocks while having no balls
The trouble is, the homeless are not raising chickens. Perhaps if they banded together to build a coop, the city would see things in a different light.
It is a shame that the Santa Ana City Council thinks more of chickens than the homeless. A short term answer to help them by opening the bus terminal has been snubbed. Instead, they would rather continue to waste scarce public safety resources on harrassing them rather than helping them to live with some dignity.
The Santa Ana City Council thinks more of dumped shopping carts all over the city than more of chickens and homeless people combined.
No cocks in Santa Ana? Hahaha, that’s a good one. Believe me, they’re there.