Board unanimously grants Lusby resident permission to keep chickens and turkeys with conditions

The Calvert County Board of Appeals on Dec. 5 unanimously approved an after-the-fact special exception and a variance allowing Amelia ("Amy") Koski to keep poultry at her Lusby property at 536 Platte Road.

Koski testified that coops were already in place when she bought the house in 2016 and described a string of personal hardships including a house destroyed by a fallen tree and lengthy reconstruction costs that contributed to the timing and nature of her request. She told the board the birds are kept in a rear, screened area, are contained and primarily serve as pets and a source of eggs. "These are our pets. These are not food chickens," Koski said during testimony.

Board members asked detailed questions about setbacks, whether roosters were kept, health-department contact and waste management. Koski said animal-control visited and found no ongoing welfare issues and explained that she composts manure and uses it in her garden; she said she does not sell compost or eggs. A family member, Paul Koski, spoke in support and summarized reconstruction hardship and financial strain during the house rebuild.

The board placed several conditions on the special exception and variance: a maximum of 14 chickens and 4 turkeys; no sales of birds or byproducts to the public; documentation of waste-disposal/composting that can be included in the written order (photographic evidence acceptable); coops and runs must provide sufficient area and be secure; the approval will be limited to the current owner and will not automatically convey with the property; the existing rooster may remain under current noise-control measures but no additional roosters will be permitted.

The board moved and seconded findings of fact and voted to grant both the special exception and the requested variance; both votes were unanimous.