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Residents press Ellsworth Council for stronger tools to stop 3:30 a.m. rooster crowing and free‑roaming hens
Summary
Two residents described chronic early‑morning crowing and repeated garden/property damage from free‑roaming chickens; code enforcement said existing remedies are letters and court actions that can take months, and the council scheduled an October 6 workshop to evaluate enforcement options including fines or expanded authority.
During citizen comments, resident Judith Felsch described months of disturbances from a neighbor’s rooster that reportedly crows beginning at about 3:30 a.m. and a flock of hens that routinely enter her yard, damage plantings and fencing, and attract predators.
Witness Susie Shepherd and neighbor Coco Preston amplified the complaint, citing repeated garden destruction, stress on residents (including neighbors in a nearby nursing home), and what they described as an unresponsive property owner. Felsch asked the council to provide code enforcement with tools for immediate relief rather than the current process of letters and protracted court actions.
Code enforcement officer Robert Grant explained the city’s current process: officers can issue warning letters and follow up with successive notices; unresolved cases must ultimately be pursued in court, which can be lengthy. Grant said there is no immediate administrative mechanism to seize or remove animals without owner cooperation. City Manager Charlie Pierce said staff will consult the city attorney and present options at an October 6 workshop; potential options discussed included an enforceable fine schedule or targeted ordinance amendments to allow more rapid remedial action for noise and nuisance animals.
Council members committed to including ‘‘rooster management’’ on the October workshop agenda and to report back with legal options, potential interim authority, and the budgetary implications of increased enforcement.
