Beverly Hills residents debate legality of backyard chickens

BEVERLY HILLS — When it comes to chickens, the people of Beverly Hills are divided.

Damon and Racheal Hrydziuszko are Beverly Hills residents who have kept chickens as pets in their backyard for the last three years. Based on their interpretation of the village code, they believe they are not breaking any rules.

However, they were issued a ticket, since the village maintains that this is not allowed according to village code. The Hrydziuszkos are challenging this in Sixth Circuit Court.

Racheal Hrydziuszko said that since this is a pending court case, she can’t speak on it in great detail. They have not  been given a court date yet.

Racheal Hrydziuszko has served as village president pro-tem since 2018. Her term ends in 2026.

“What I can say is that we are following the current ordinance as it is written,” she said.  “Chickens are commonly kept (as) pets, and we very much love our girls. We are looking forward to our day in court and for this matter to be resolved.”

The current ordinance states that “the keeping, raising, or breeding of animals including farm animals and non-domestic animals and reptiles (except domesticated cats, dogs, canaries, parakeets, parrots, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles, fish, rabbits and similar animals commonly kept as pets) shall be prohibited, and except as may be permitted by and under conditions imposed by the Zoning Board of Appeals.”

The debate amongst the people of Beverly Hills is whether the wording “similar animals commonly kept as pets” includes chickens.

“I appreciate that we have many residents who have opinions on the issue of chickens as pets,” Beverly Hills Council President John George said. “We’ve heard from many residents who have opinions on the matter, and their feedback has been heard. We look forward to the Michigan court system providing guidance on our code, and we will reevaluate the matter once the court process is complete.”

Several residents have spoken out during the public comment portion of several Village Council meetings, making a case against keeping chickens as pets in Beverly Hills.

“I think we all live in an environment where we know we have laws and rules and ordinances, and the expectation is, as good citizens, that we comply with those,” said resident Kent Anderson. “That if we had an issue, that we would find a legal and appropriate way to deal with that problem. And as leaders of the community, I think it is vitally important and essential to the integrity of the council that all of you comply with every law, ordinance and rule in the community. And it appears that that is not the case.”

Some residents have also shared that they want the council to move on from this issue to focus on other things.

“You are playing games with the wording of a very established ordinance to get what you want when you don’t get your way,” resident Tom Maxwell said. “As elected officials in front of our village, please stop putting the people in our village through this issue again. You have more important issues to handle and to resolve and to spend our tax dollars on.”

The debate of whether or not backyard chickens should be allowed is nothing new to the village.

A change.org petition titled “Allow resident of Beverly Hills, Mi to keep Chickens on their Property” went out in 2018 and collected 420 supporters.

In the petition description, several benefits of owning chickens were stated to back up the argument that backyard chickens should be allowed. Some of the benefits listed include sustainability, companionship and insect control.

“It is our belief that small backyard flocks will help residents live more sustainable lifestyles, reduce food and yard waste output, control insect pests, build topsoil and provide a superior local source of eggs and meat,” the petition states. “Hens do not crow like roosters, their waste is a highly effective fertilizer unlike dog and cat feces, they have kind and gentle dispositions and give both children and adults companionship along with a home grown source of protein.”

A few years later, in 2021, the Beverly Hills Village Council considered the approval of backyard chickens, and in response, some residents posted anti-backyard chicken signs.

Damon Hrydziuszko appeared before the  Zoning Board of Appeals Sept. 9 seeking an interpretation of the village ordinance in question. He argued that his ownership of chickens as pets falls within the exception of “similar animals commonly kept as pets.” He argued that chickens are commonly kept as pets.

On Sept. 20, the chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals sent Hrydziuszko written notice that chickens do not fall under the exception stated by the village ordinance.