Dateline: January 20, 2005

New ordinance requires permit for poultry in city

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Clarendon Aldermen approved two new ordinances governing poultry in the city limits and the dumping of appliances when they held their regular meeting last Tuesday.

Ordinance 354 amends rules governing livestock inside the city to include chickens, turkeys, guineas, pheasants, quail, ducks, and geese and sets limits on the number birds that can be kept and the pen space requirements for each species.

City officials had been wrestling with how to govern poultry since November after complaints about chickens and ducks running loose at a residence on McLean Street, but they had been unable to craft rules to take into account the many different types of birds.

Russell Estlack, a college biology instructor and master breeder of bantam chickens, drafted the new ordinance based on accepted agricultural practices, space requirements for healthy birds, noise levels, and manure production of mature poultry.

Citizens must now obtain a livestock permit from City Hall to have poultry in the city limits, and keeping more than three different types of poultry is prohibited.

Aldermen also approved Ordinance 356, which amends rules governing the city’s recycling center to allow businesses the option of paying a flat fee of $20 per month for unlimited dumping of appliances.

Such businesses would also have the right to remove parts from dumped appliances before they are crushed, and the city would be able to impose a recapture fee of $5 per unit to recover refrigerants and oil as required by environmental guidelines.

A third new ordinance was also considered last week. Ordinance 355 would prohibit using propane to heat fixed residential structures inside the city except where natural gas service is not available. Aldermen tabled that ordinance and will consider it further next week.

In other city business, the board discussed the condition of City Hall, which is leaking and suffering water damage. The Texas Municipal League, which carries the city’s insurance, will not pay anything for the damage because it has resulted from improper maintenance with the roof and windows. No estimates have been received as to what it would take to repair the building, but aldermen discussed relocating and turning the building over to the fire department.

“We need to have a consensus to move the city offices,” said Alderman Michael Tibbets, who mentioned looking into the Mulkey Theatre or the former Gilkey clinic as possible sites for new city headquarters.

Other members discussed constructing a new metal building which would serve as a community center and as City Hall.

Aldermen also discussed that moving City Hall wouldn’t solve the problem. Since the fire department is part of the city, then the city would still own the building and be ultimately responsible for its upkeep.

No action was taken.

The board also agreed with Alderman Tommy Hill, who suggested the city buy paint and have community service workers cover graffiti along the walls of the drainage ditch through downtown.