Jul 14, 2016 3 min read

MONONGAHELA – Chickens may be taking up residence in Monongahela backyards soon.

Monongahela City Council on Wednesday had the first reading of the updated zoning ordinance, which would allow chickens in the residential area of the city. The amended ordinance states chickens will be permitted only in residential areas and not in the business and historical districts.

A household will be permitted up to six hens, but no roosters, and the chickens must be contained either with a six-foot fence, netting or coop. There will also be a $550 registration fee per household.

Michelle Branthoover-Parnell said she is thrilled with the decision to allow backyard chickens.

“There was a huge response to a backyard seminar that was held at the library. There are going to many people wanting to get chickens,” said resident Chad DeSantis. “Usually, the chickens are ready for the spring, and maybe the fee could be waived until next year.”

Mayor Bob Kepics said the council will revisit the fee at the next council meeting.

In other news, resident Tim Caudill again addressed council with a list of sidewalks in need or repair or updated to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. He and a few friends who use wheelchairs traveled Main and Chess streets from the New Eagle border to Sheetz at the end of the business district.

“There are three places in the city in dire need of repair,” he said. Those include the sidewalk at Charleroi Federal Bank, where the slope is at a 45-degree angle and could cause someone to tip in a wheelchair. The sidewalk at 11th Street and Main Street is a higher slope than the ADA recommends. “It is like going off a cliff,” said Caudill. The sidewalk near Chess Park has a tree growing in it, which is a hazard, said Caudill.

He added many of the areas cause him and others to get off the sidewalk and travel into the street, which is dangerous.

“I understand that the city needs the money to fix all of the sidewalks. But maybe it would be better if we did an entire project with a grant from the casino money,” referencing the county’s Local Share Account program. He said the best option would be to designate Main, Chess and Fourth streets as handicapped-accessible since they are the main streets in town, with Fourth Street going into a residential area.

Mayor Bob Kepics said the city has come a long way in fixing the sidewalks and realizes more needs to be done. “We are planning on using the (Community Block Grant) money in 2017 to address some of these issues.”

Councilman Ken Kulak said Council will look into the LSA grant money for this project. “This would be great if this project would qualify for this money,” he said.