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LOUISVILLE, Colo. -
It's a battle between the birds and the bees in Louisville. Residents are proposing the city allow them to have chickens and beehives in their yards.
Towns such as Lafayette, Superior, Boulder and Longmont already allow chickens.
Rebecca Elliott of Lafayette has raised them in her yard for nine years now and has more than a dozen roaming in their pen.
"They give us eggs, and then you have the composting piece where you can take their manure and put it into your garden," said Elliott.
Her chickens have become a neighborhood attraction and her neighbors have never once complained. But the city of Louisville is concerned about having chickens and feels they need more time to make a decision.
Mayor Chuck Sisk says the council and the people need to become more educated on raising farm animals in their neighborhoods.
Another proposal under consideration is allowing beehives in backyards.
Retired scientist Michele Pelanne proposed the idea to the council.
"Certainly a lot of people have bees for honey and that's great and bees wax is really cool because you can make candles but for me it's really pollination it's having a strong hive that can take care of my garden and take care of my neighbor's gardens," said Pelanne.
The city agrees that having beehives could help with pollination and only benefit residents and their yards.
The council will meet again in a couple months to make a final decision on the beehives but it could take until next year for a decision on whether or not chickens will be allowed.
Towns such as Lafayette, Superior, Boulder and Longmont already allow chickens.
Rebecca Elliott of Lafayette has raised them in her yard for nine years now and has more than a dozen roaming in their pen.
"They give us eggs, and then you have the composting piece where you can take their manure and put it into your garden," said Elliott.
Her chickens have become a neighborhood attraction and her neighbors have never once complained. But the city of Louisville is concerned about having chickens and feels they need more time to make a decision.
Mayor Chuck Sisk says the council and the people need to become more educated on raising farm animals in their neighborhoods.
Another proposal under consideration is allowing beehives in backyards.
Retired scientist Michele Pelanne proposed the idea to the council.
"Certainly a lot of people have bees for honey and that's great and bees wax is really cool because you can make candles but for me it's really pollination it's having a strong hive that can take care of my garden and take care of my neighbor's gardens," said Pelanne.
The city agrees that having beehives could help with pollination and only benefit residents and their yards.
The council will meet again in a couple months to make a final decision on the beehives but it could take until next year for a decision on whether or not chickens will be allowed.
