Chickens

About a year ago, I attended my first meeting of the Environmental Stewardship Committee where the topic was supposed to be the creation of a proposed farmer's market in Amberley Village.  I was very interested in this as I try to do most of my shopping at local farmers' markets. Like many, I prefer to know where my food comes from, whether it's milk, vegetables, eggs, or meat products. I'm an avid baker and I prefer to use only natural ingredients, even if it means spending up to $4 for a dozen eggs. I believe that food tastes better and is better for you when it is used in its freshest and most natural state.

Well, to date, that farmers' market is nothing more than a dream for Amberley's future, but a question that arose at that meeting set me on a quest to find an answer. The question was "are we allowed to raise our own chickens for eggs in Amberley?" Such a simple question should have a simple answer, right? After all, I have heard for years that Amberley prides itself on its "rural" atmosphere. Heck, I was chastised for calling a "walking path" by the more pedestrian name of "sidewalk" while I was campaigning in favor of safer routes for pedestrians in our Village! Such a small distinction means the world to many of our residents. As for the raising of chickens, however, it seems that Amberley's zoning code hearkened back to a time when suburbanites were trying to shed their rural associations.  In our current Code, chickens likely fall under the definition of "farm animals" and farm animals are prohibited on properties of less than ten acres.  In today's world, chickens are more likely to take their place among the family's pets, have names, and be used to provide their owners with eggs. Section 154.25. Also see Section 154.02 for definitions.

After discussion with the Village manager, Scot Lahrmer, and the Village solicitor, Kevin Frank, I was advised that the way to make any changes to the Village Zoning Code was by bringing legislation to the Planning Commission. The Village Planning Commission is an independent entity consisting of residents who are appointed by Council to serve for four year terms. It's important to note that their terms outlast the  two year election cycle for candidates in Amberley so that the members of the Planning Commission (also the Board of Zoning Appeals) are not influenced by the whims of Council. The Planning Commission is established by the Village Charter and is tasked with hearing appeals to the zoning code and providing equitable relief from hardship, as well as drafting and approving legislation and making recommendations to Council. They hold hearings, call witnesses, and vote as a Board. Since I was asking for a change to the zoning code, I was advised that the Planning Commission was the appropriate committee, not, as I had initially proposed, the Health Education & Welfare committee or the Law Committee, two committees on which I either serve or chair.

The Ordinance that was voted on by 5-0 vote and recommended by the Planning Commission will allow residents to keep up to six chickens (hens only; no roosters) in a well-maintained coop, with liberal setback provisions. Chickens may not be slaughtered -- again, this is an ordinance to allow residents to raise eggs for their own consumption -- and other nuisance laws apply. Consistent with the zoning code, violation of the ordinance is a minor misdemeanor punishable by a $150 fine. A permit must be requested from the Village manager. The proposed Ordinance Section 154.54 can be read by clicking on the link. Unfortunately, if you, like me, live in a neighborhood that is governed by a set of restrictive covenants, like Rollman Estates, you cannot have domesticated chickens, even if Amberley Village passes this ordinance.

On May 14th, residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinion on the proposed change to the zoning code. Please come to the Council meeting and you will be permitted to speak. In the meantime, I invite you to read this beautiful article in 513eats online magazine. It is written by Amberley resident and local food aficionado and chef, Ilene Ross, with photographs by Gina Weathersby.  The New York Times has been reporting on the rise of backyard chickens for several years. Closer to home, the City of Montgomery has a Facebook page dedicated to Chickens for Montgomery. Much of Amberley's ordinance was based upon information gathered from Montgomery, where chickens have been allowed by ordinance since 2009 with no complaints.



Please make sure you are subscribed to notices and the Village e-news on Amberley's website, www.amberleyvillage.org.
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Garbage IN

One of the first things I did upon being elected to Amberley Village Council is establish a new email address for council-related business. It's a good thing I did too, since my inbox is already up to 548 emails, with very little spam. In fact, I just checked and there are only 2 spam emails in the spam filter. Don't let that give you any ideas, however! I get enough interesting email already...

So, where do these emails come from and what are they about? Most are actually Village business or from residents. But, as a council member, I have the opportunity to attend seminars and network. As well, I think as a council member, my name just gets added to lists of organizations that Amberley participants in as a member, as well as other interesting things. Today, in fact, I received an email from the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services. It was the Spring 2012 newsletter "WasteLine" and I found every single article of interest to me and I think the information will be of interest to you as an Amberley Village resident.

For example, the higher a community's recycling rate, the more dollars per ton they receive as an incentive. Out of the 48 Hamilton County communities that recycle, Amberley's recycling rate is the eighth highest. At 22.41%, our recycling rate is well above the county's average rate of 13.04%. Because of all of our efforts, Amberley received $11,230.00 just for recycling! There are ways of boosting our rate even higher. Last year, you may have taken advantage of Amberley's community wide shredding event. Tonnage recycled at community shredding events counts toward a community's recycling rate. Because this is also a very valuable service to our residents, look for another community-wide shred event this Spring.

Also of interest, both to gardeners and others interested in reducing the amount of garbage they bring to the curb (or perhaps extending the life of the garbage disposal), the Hamilton County Waste and Recycling District is sponsoring composting seminars. The closest to Amberley is the seminar to be held in Deer Park on April 26th at 6:00 PM. With the Amberley Green Garden opening in April, anyone interested in gardening on the Green is encouraged to attend. Space is limited, so call Susan Schumacher at 946-7734 to register.

Look for these yard signs indicating a We THRIVE! project coming soon.

Speaking of Amberley's Community Garden, we are about a month away from rolling out the carpet on this fully-funded initiative made possible by Hamilton County Public Health's We THRIVE! grant. The flyer is available HERE and we hope to see you growing some fresh veggies this summer. Plots are 9'x15' and will rent for $50. Families who do not think they can handle an entire plot are encouraged to find another family to share with. The entire garden will be fenced with 7.5' high deer fencing that is practically invisible to the eye until you are upon it. The bottom will be reinforced with chicken wire in order to keep out burrowing animals. We will provide the water, hoses, and garden carts. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other in a fun and productive setting and I hope you will join the Wolf family in this gardening adventure. We will be using organic practices, in keeping with current trends in healthy food practices. Check out the Amberley Village We THRIVE! page on the Watch Us Thrive website.

There is always something going on in the Village, but I try to keep these posts as brief as possible and I also try to keep my imposition on YOUR email inbox as minimal as possible. Don't forget to subscribe to the Village e-news at http://www.amberleyvillage.org/.

A Gathering Place

I saw this article in today's Cincinnati Enquirer. It's about Wyoming and the spirit of volunteerism that pervades the community. Not only volunteerism, but neighborliness that stems from a sense of place and pride in that place. I believe we have that in Amberley, but what really struck me as a significant difference between the two communities (and I'm not talking about our lack of a business district or neighborhood school), was the photo of  residents having a cup of coffee and a chat at the Wyoming Pastry Shop. 

Where do we go in Amberley when we want to relax and chat with our neighbors -- about our community, our families, our lives...? A gathering place is a central part of a community. To see our neighbors and elected officials in a relaxed setting in the community can ease suspicion and strengthen our ties to the community. We don't even have a restaurant in our own community to call our own. Or do we?

In the last few months I've realized that we actually do have a restaurant in Amberley Village. This realization came about through the process of filling out required forms for the We THRIVE! grant. At a meeting of the grant working group, JCC Executive Director Jeff Baden was in attendance.Discussion turned to the nutritional components of Amberley's food outlets -- of which there is only one: the JCC.  The cafe offers healthy food options to all who go -- not just members of the J. Since then, I've been going to the J-Cafe whenever my thoughts or discussions will be concerning Amberley. I met Council member, Bill Doering, at the J-Cafe for lunch. Resident Ilene Ross met me there to discuss how to persuade Amberley residents to embrace the J-Cafe as their local restaurant. State Representative Denise Driehaus met me at the J-Cafe when she wanted to chat about Amberley and our community's needs. 

In the coming months, I intend to meet with representatives of the JCC to discuss how to market the J-Cafe to Amberley residents, but in the meantime, I would like to invite you to make the J-Cafe YOUR local gathering spot. Like those other coffee shops in other communities, the J-Cafe offers a full range of coffee drinks, as well as pastries, soups and sandwiches. And since it is in our neighborhood, the odds are good that you will run into your Amberley neighbors there. You might even run into me, and if you do, feel free to stop and chat about Amberley. 

Isn't it great to have our own place to call home?

Spring in My Step

Is it really March already? Whatever happened to winter? Pretty soon the grass will be turning green and I haven't done anything about contracting to have it mowed this year. Whoops. But, while I may have neglected my own lawn, lots of cool things are in store for Amberley residents beginning this spring.

First of all, let's start with the new Ordinance allowing egg-laying chickens to be raised by residents in their own backyard. Consistent with the trend toward locally produced food and home gardening, it shouldn't come as a surprise that homeowners are desiring to raise their own chickens for their eggs. I have studied the current zoning in Amberley Village, and although it is my belief that our zoning did not prohibit backyard chickens, our solicitor, Kevin Frank, felt it was better if the Village had a separate ordinance pertaining to keeping chickens. I agree, as this way, there is no question as to whether residents can or cannot have chickens, and there are restrictions as to number of hens, and setbacks. Currently, Amberley -- with its large lots and bucolic atmosphere -- is one of very, very few local communities that don't allow chickens. Several residents have asked over the past few years if chickens were permitted, but were never given a definitive answer. I think that is because the zoning code was not clear on the issue. With the passage of this Ordinance, the answer will be very clear. Additionally, allowing backyard chickens allows our residents who so desire to follow the most current and healthy food trends as well as reducing their own carbon footprint and providing their families and friends with the experience of producing their own food. If you would like to read more about the history of prohibiting chickens in suburban communities, a wonderful resource can be found at Chickens for Montgomery, where the zoning code was revised in 2009 to specifically allow for chickens to be raised by residents. The first reading of Amberley's new chicken ordinance will be Monday, March 12th at the regularly scheduled Council meeting. By-the-way,  residents who live in neighborhoods with restrictive covenants, such as Rollman Estates, will not be permitted to have chickens in their yards, even with the passage of this ordinance, if their HOA specifically prohibits them.

Another sign of spring is that the new community garden at Amberley Green is staked out and ready to plow. The Amberley Green Garden will consist of garden plots that are 9x15' in size. Up to thirty-six plots can be accommodated and will rent at $50 per growing season (April to November). The entire garden will be fenced with 7 1/2 foot high deer fencing and water will be available as well as a garden cart and experienced gardeners willing to share their knowledge.  The garden will be an organic garden and there is already interest from some of our local non-profit neighbors in renting plots for educational and philanthropic purposes. The Amberley Green Garden committee will sponsor social events at the garden as well as educational presentations related to everything garden. Please be on the lookout for a flyer in your email that will be headlined "Amberley Green Garden." You will then be directed to instructions for applying for a plot and a welcome packet for gardeners. The garden is made possible from a grant from We THRIVE! which is an important initiative of the Hamilton County Dept. of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control. The purpose of We THRIVE! is to make the healthy choice the easy choice, thereby decreasing incidences of obesity and related diseases, as well as reducing smoking and increasing physical activity. It all begins at the local level, which is why grant funding was provided to a total of 12 local Cincinnati communities who are at the forefront of this movement.

Garden location "before" plowing and staking

Finally, Amberley will be championing a new, cutting-edge, initiative by Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati which is called "Community for a Lifetime." According to the most recent census, 22% of Amberley's residents are age 65 or older and the population of residents aged 50 and older is 49% higher than the national average. Due to the demographic of our community, care of our elderly population sometimes requires our police and fire department to assist our seniors in their day-to-day tasks. I recently attended the annual meeting of the Hamilton County Health District, and learned of a new and very vital and useful program called AHEAD. From this data, you can see that injuries from falls that require hospitalization among seniors in Amberley aged 65 and older are among the highest in the health district, with our neighbor, Deer Park, being even higher. Community for a Lifetime aims to take some of the pressure off our police and fire department by establishing a concierge service with our seniors so that they can form relationships with JFS social workers and, in addition, receive referrals for services they otherwise might resort to calling the police to assist with.

Don't forget to subscribe to the Village e-news at http://www.amberleyvillage.org/. E-mail is Amberley's primary means of communicating Village news to the residents. You can also sign up for meeting notices at the same time. Look for "subscriptions" on the left-side of the Village website. Also, the easiest way to read this blog is to subscribe by email and have the content delivered directly to your inbox.

Latin Lesson

It seems that I should say a few words about the ad hoc advisory committee that was appointed by the former Council and tasked with reviewing the budget and making recommendations to council. But before I do, I want to acknowledge that we are fortunate, in Amberley, to have as many talented and interested residents as we do. As with the prior Ad Hoc Advisory Committee for Amberley Green, the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee to the Budget was dedicated and hardworking. They are to be commended for the many hours of work they devoted to this task. I am looking forward to their report to Council and the opportunity to examine their recommendations.
First of all, what is an ad hoc committee? BusinessDictionary.com defines an ad hoc committee as:

a committee formed for a specific task or objective,

and dissolved after the completion of the task or achievement

of the objective.

The ad hoc budget advisory committee met for four months and thoroughly reviewed Amberley's budget going back to 2006. They have prepared a Report, which is now published on AmberleyVillage.org, and they, as well as I, have talked about their ongoing work publicly. I have been emailed a copy of the Report,  though I have not studied it thoroughly. Nor has it been formally presented to Council, which is the completion of the task the committee set out to do. Council does not meet as a full body other than at Council meetings, which are held on the second Monday of every month. Every meeting is published on the Village calendar and in other publications and the dates are established by Amberley's Charter. The next full meeting of Council will be on March 12th. At that time, I predict that the ad hoc advisory committee will present their findings to Council and Council will have the opportunity to publicly thank them for their hard work and refer the recommendations to one of Council's standing committees -- most likely the finance committee -- but other issues may be discussed in the Long Range Planning committee, or Compensation & Benefits. There is also a Land Development committee, which may be tasked with examining one or more of the ad hoc committee's recommendations.
It would be inappropriate, in my opinion, for me to comment on any particular one of the Committee's recommendations without first having the opportunity to listen to the ad hoc committee's presentation of their Report to Council. Having seen the Report, it appears on the surface that there are some items that I can get behind and some to which I have questions. It is unfair to the committee, which is comprised of members of our community, for Council to publicly either vet or criticize any component of the Report before it is formally presented to us. Righting Amberley's budget is not going to happen overnight. If the Police Levy passes, it is merely one piece of the puzzle and represents the beginning of a lot of hard work and changes to come. Many changes have already occurred and they have been discussed here as well as in public venues with Police Chief Wallace and Manager Scot Lahrmer. 
We value our resident committees -- whether standing committees or ad hoc committees such as this one or the Amberley Green committee -- and do not want to jeopardize the willingness of our residents to serve on committees by undermining their work before they have made it official. 
As always, I invite you to attend committee meetings and learn more about the inner workings of your Village. Every meeting is publicized on www.amberleyvillage.org. You can subscribe to meeting notices in any area that particularly interests you and your input at meetings is always valued. Residents who attend meetings are never required to sit silently and watch, but are invited to share their input and expertise. 

Community Building - AV Women's Forum

The Amberley Village Women's Forum met again last evening at Jayme Klosterman's house and we were joined by Officer Mike Koenig and Chief Rich Wallace for an informative presentation about keeping ourselves safe at home and forming neighborhood block watch groups. We were given several tips for being safe at home, which really are so obvious, but I'm embarrassed to say that I am a huge offender of many of them.

Officer Koenig tells us to be observant.

Chief Wallace introduces the discussion of safety

First of all, if you have an alarm system don't forget to use it. It's so easy to get into the habit of not turning it on  because "we'll only be gone for a short while" or fear that we will set it off by accident and be embarrassed when the police show up at our door. The perpetrators of burglaries in and around Amberley Village are primarily looking for easy targets to feed a heroin habit. They don't want to be confronted by pesky burglar alarms. So, if you have an alarm, turn it on. We learned that many break ins occur by the burglar breaking a rear window to enter the house and then exiting through a door. So, even if you don't have a glass break sensor, the alarm will be triggered when the burglars exit your home. IF you set it!

Dogs and other animals are a great deterrent, as are cars in the driveway and leaving the radio or TV turned on. Whatever you do, don't make it easy for the would-be burglar. Lock your car doors, lock your house doors, and close your garage door. The best deterrent, however, is keeping an eye out for anything unusual in your neighborhood. This is where the Watch Groups come in.

Crime map of Amberley Village

While the police can come by your house and do an inspection a few times a day while you are on vacation, nothing beats the watchful eyes of your own neighbors. I am planning on implementing a group in my own neighborhood, and what a great way to get to know each other. If my neighbors know that I'm going on vacation, then they can be alert to strange cars parked in my driveway -- or better yet -- if someone pulls up with a van and starts loading it up with my possessions, they will know to call the police rather than assume that it is AmVets or the Salvation Army.

I really should take that camera class... 

...so I know how to turn off the "auto" settings.

We will be continuing this discussion on home and personal safety and invite all Amberley women to join us once a month at the Amberley Women's Forum. There is always ample time to socialize and as an outgrowth of the meeting, a women's tennis league is now forming. If you are interested in joining our mailing list (or playing tennis), please email avwomensforum@gmail.com.  We look forward to meeting you at our next meeting.

What's Gone Down and What's Coming Up

It's never a dull moment for the Lone Wolf. Here's a quick recap of some of the things I've been doing and some things that are coming up. Fortunately, Scott gave me a new camera for Hanukkah so I can document the places I go, otherwise I would forget for sure. As my friend Leslie used to say: My brain is like a steel sieve...


Pleasant Ridge Library Dedication

State Senator Eric Kearney

On Monday, February 13th, I accompanied former Council Member, Peg Conway, to the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly accessible Pleasant Ridge Library.  The library, which is located just down the street on Montgomery Rd., is within walking distance of three local elementary schools -- Pleasant Ridge Montessori, Nativity Elementary, and TCP World Academy. Kindergartners from PRM and Nativity provided adorable entertainment for those gathered for the dedication. 

Nativity Kindergartners sing "Grand Ol' Flag"

Energy Aggregation Update:

Many residents have been asking when they will be able to take advantage of the lower rates that will be made available due to electric aggregation. At Monday's Council meeting, Resolution 2012-26 was passed which authorized the Village Manager to enter into a contract with DPL Energy Resources.During the year 2011, our residents saved $269,000 during the 10 months Amberley was in the opt-in program. The new supplier rate will lower bills based on prior aggregation rates by 6.6%. Residents will expect to save $175 annually from the current Duke Energy rate. Residents who are a current customer of Duke do not need to do anything to be included as this is an "opt-out" program. If you, like me, are currently signed up with another supplier and wish to participate in the Village's program, you will need to contact DP&L Energy Resources, and request to be enrolled. First though, residents should check to see what, if any, cancellation charges may apply for leaving your current supplier. 

Tennis Key Cards 

As a We THRIVE! community, Amberley was required to enter into shared-use agreements in order to promote physical activity. One way to achieve this goal, is to allow non-residents to utilize our assets. In this case, Amberley has tennis courts that are often empty. For a fee of $70 per year for one year, up to twenty-five non-residents are now permitted to purchase key cards to be used on the lower, tennis courts located on the south side of Village Hall. Resolution 2012-27.

We THRIVE!

Is it a Policy, System, or Environmental Change

On Tuesday, former Mayor Merrie Stillpass, accompanied me to the wrap-up event for the We THRIVE! grant. It was great to get together with representatives from the first nine grant recipient communities as well as the three new ones (including our neighbor Roselawn). It's incredible how much a community can do with a little bit of money. For example, in addition to the new community garden that will be installed at Amberley Green, residents can look forward to a new Amberley Trail near the Section/Ridge corner of French Park so that we can run or walk around our Village Hall walking track and then extend that walk across the street and safely enter French Park from a trail. The grant will pay for a foot bridge as well as signage. We hope to recruit scouts to do the volunteer construction. Also, after a conversation with Metro, Amberley will be included in a comprehensive transportation study that may result in a new bus stop being located in Amberley near the JCC. This will enable employees and senior users of the JCC to access the facility by bus. Additionally, seniors who come to the JCC from Cedar Village via the Cedar Village bus, will be able to get to a grocery store or do personal errands via the Metro bus. The We THRIVE! grant will be used to pay for a bus stop bench. 

Don't Forget the Police Levy
Last, but by no means least, please don't forget about the Police Levy that is on the March 6th ballot. Nearly 50% of the Village budget is consumed by our police services. If this levy doesn't pass, expect to see a significant negative impact on our police service as well as all other services in the Village.  You can expect the police to operate on a response basis only instead of in crime-prevention mode as they do now. If you have not attended any of Chief Wallace's presentations at Village Hall or the previous Town Hall meeting at the JCC, you have another opportunity on Tuesday, February 21st at 6:30 PM. It is important that all of us have an understanding of how our operations function and the current associated costs. 


I recently heard a resident say that he doesn't care if his house burns down. Seriously -- a resident actually said that. Well, maybe his house is merely bricks and mortar, but my house includes memories of a lifetime that are irreplaceable by any insurance company. Family photos can never be replaced, not to mention objects to which we've attached special significance. Chief Wallace gave me a tour of the police station yesterday and I was able to get a look at the dispatch service as well as one of the many neighborhood mapping tools used by the police. I was able to easily see my own house and noted three stickers affixed to it. Those stickers indicated that there was one 911 call from from our residence in the last year, as well as two misdemeanor arrests (on the property -- not my immediate family). There are lots of stickers on that map! 

Example of how the Police Dept. is being restructured.

At the most recent Council meeting, residents spoke in favor of the levy, and I addressed what I see as the "intangible" elements that bring people to Amberley Village. I identified eight reasons people choose to buy a home in Amberley and listed them randomly: nostalgia, large lots, access to synagogues, access to Cincinnati Public Schools, convenience, proximity to parks and green space, architectural uniqueness, and services. You can read the entire address by clicking HERE. 


I'll leave you with an example of one of those beautiful "Amberley" homes I refer to in my Address to Council. This home sits on a beautiful, large wooded lot and is replete with the charm and craftsmanship that we associate with Amberley. You can request a blue sign for your own yard by visiting http://ProtectAmberleyVillage.com