Residents urge action on poultry nuisance and warn of outside planning influences during public comment

Two members of the public used the privilege-of-the-floor period at the May 4 meeting to raise separate concerns.

Kevin Becker of Bristol said he owns property near Jimtown and alleged a nearby operation keeps "400 to 500 chickens," producing persistent ammonia odor and rooster noise. Becker urged the county to revisit poultry thresholds for A1 zoning and to require licensing and food-safety measures for those selling eggs. "These people have 400 to 500 chickens on County Road 1 and County Road 118. And all we smell is ammonia," Becker said. A staff member invited Becker to provide addresses of sellers and said the Code Division would record an official complaint and investigate whether existing rules are violated.

Pam Kaiser of Middlebury criticized planning and zoning decisions she said were influenced by outside planning organizations. Kaiser referenced attending a 2024 event where a Strong Towns speaker discussed concentrating development in cities and suggested those ideas—and ties to organizations such as the Congress for New Urbanism—are shaping local comprehensive-plan language and rezoning decisions. Kaiser called attention to county staff travel to professional planning events and asserted that certain policy language aligns with sustainable development goals; she presented these remarks as public comment and provided examples from presentations and social posts.

Both comments were delivered during public comment; commissioners took no formal action during the meeting other than advising Becker to supply addresses for investigation. The transcript records these as citizen remarks rather than formal petitions or regulatory findings.