By MARGARET WAAGE CORRESPONDENT When the Plainville Planning and Zoning Commission voted against a zoning regulation change requested by Roberta Lalama, allowing her to keep chickens on her property, Roberta and Carmine Lalama had no choice but to relocate their nine hens to East Haddam. The couple hasn’t forgotten the hens as Roberta affectionately refers them to them as her “girls” and the couple visits them on the occasional weekend. Roberta has since set out to raise awareness that hens are not just for laying eggs. “Many people in town are interested in keeping hens as pets,” said Roberta. “If a person’s only motivation for keeping hens were for the eggs, they would be surprised to find out it isn’t cheaper than buying store bought eggs. It is however a much better tasting egg.” The hens are like any other pet, said Roberta. They are animals that require care and that they give something back in the form of an egg is just an added bonus. Zoning regulations regarding fowl vary from town to town. In Plainville, the lot size requirement calls for at least 87,120 square feet. The Lalama yard at 37 Bohemia St. measures 21,700 square feet. Lalama’s [...]
By MARGARET WAAGE CORRESPONDENT When the Plainville Planning and Zoning Commission voted against a zoning regulation change requested by Roberta Lalama, allowing her to keep chickens on her property, Roberta and Carmine Lalama had no choice but to relocate their nine hens to East Haddam. The couple hasn’t forgotten the hens as Roberta affectionately refers them to them as her “girls” and the couple visits them on the occasional weekend. Roberta has since set out to raise awareness that hens are not just for laying eggs. “Many people in town are interested in keeping hens as pets,” said Roberta. “If a person’s only motivation for keeping hens were for the eggs, they would be surprised to find out it isn’t cheaper than buying store bought eggs. It is however a much better tasting egg.” The hens are like any other pet, said Roberta. They are animals that require care and that they give something back in the form of an egg is just an added bonus. Zoning regulations regarding fowl vary from town to town. In Plainville, the lot size requirement calls for at least 87,120 square feet. The Lalama yard at 37 Bohemia St. measures 21,700 square feet. Lalama’s [...]