Neighbors,

My name is Matt and I am a longtime resident of Bucks County, and I currently reside in Warrington Township. A few weeks ago, my family and I became very excited about the idea of raising a few egg laying hens in our own backyard. I have a young family (three kids ages 3 and under!), and we thought this would be a valuable family experience that we could all share. Unfortunately, when I called the township office, I was instructed by the zoning official that chickens were not allowed in our zoning district. There are currently very few zoning districts that allow the raising of chickens in Warrington, and those that do, have certain acreage and setback requirements that essentially make it illegal for the vast majority of residents. I hope to influence a positive change in Warrington Township’s zoning ordinance to allow for the raising of chickens within all residential zoning districts. I know that there are some people that will be against this. I’ll admit that at first I also had doubts, and it took quite a bit of convincing for me to get my wife on board. But after spending a great deal of time researching the issue and the benefits of owning a small flock of these great animals, the decision became very easy. There are so many positives to having a few of your own chickens, from the fresh sustainable eggs, to the free fertilizer for your garden, just to name a couple. After a simple Google search, and a little bit of reading, it is plain to see that the benefits far outweigh any potential negatives. I know that I will not be able to influence this change alone. However, if enough of us make our voices heard, a change can happen. That is why I ask that you please consider signing this petition to show your support for the right of citizens to own their own backyard chickens. And when the time comes, I hope you will also consider showing and voicing your support at the Township Supervisors’ meeting. Thank you for your support of this cause.

Your Neighbor,

Matt DeLuca