Scranton zoning board denies family’s request to keep 15 chickens

An East Mountain family wants to keep their 15 chickens without ruffling any feathers.

But Scranton’s zoning hearing board denied a request by Chris Verchuk for a variance to keep all of the chickens at his family’s Leslie Drive property. Residents are only allowed to have two chickens under the city’s zoning ordinance. Verchuk attended the meeting with his wife Laurel and 15-year-old son Eli.

Chris Verchuk said the family has owned the chickens for a year. They are housed in a heated, enclosed Amish-built coop surrounded by a fence. The coop protects the chickens from predators and the elements. It is not visible from the street.

Chris and Laurel Verchuk emphasized they only own hens and don’t plan to purchase more chickens. Chris Verchuk said the chickens, each named after characters from “The Office,” don’t run freely around the property.

He said caring for the chickens has helped Eli deal with social anxiety. Eli gives the eggs to neighbors, members of their church and residents of the Lutherwood senior apartment complex, his dad said. He estimates his son collects between eight and 12 eggs a day and can easily give away a dozen.

“He is learning important lessons and discipline by taking care of the chickens daily and he is learning social interactions by giving the eggs away,” Chris Verchuk said.

Chris and Laurel Verchuk said their neighbors signed a petition stating they don’t have issues with the amount of chickens the family owns. Several weren’t aware they owned them until they informed them. Chris Verchuk said they haven’t had any noise or odor complaints from neighbors. Laurel Verchuk said her son cleans and maintains the coop, and feeds the chickens daily.

“We take great pride in keeping our property very clean and properly maintained,” Laurel Verchuk said.

She said the family received a letter last month indicating they can have no more than two chickens on their property. Chris Verchuk appealed for a variance. She said her husband and son thoroughly researched the regulations around chickens to ensure they weren’t doing anything wrong.

Chris Verchuk said the chickens have their own personalities and respond to Eli, adding it would be devastating for him to choose which ones to get rid of and ruin his progress on his social skills.

“They are not just chickens for eggs, but they act as an emotional support tool for Eli,” Chris Verchuk said. “He takes great pride in giving out the eggs to those who need them.”

An emotional Laurel Verchuk said her son loves his chickens and receiving the letter has shaken him.

“Having chickens is calming. Having these chickens is good for him. They relieve his anxiety,” she told the board. “They have been very therapeutic for him and his anxiety, much like an emotional support animal.”

Eli Verchuk told the board the chickens are clean and don’t make much noise. He provided comments from Facebook attesting to how well taken care of they are and how the eggs they lay have helped people as egg prices rise.

“As you can see, my chickens are not hurting or bothering anyone, but rather used for me to better serve the community,” Eli said, adding they have plenty of space in their coop. “I have gotten very close to these chickens and built a relationship with each and every one of them.”

He said the chickens come when he calls them and he loves them equally.

Board members told the family they sympathized with them and acknowledged the teen’s passion but said they have to comply with city ordinances. Members said before voting that they faced a tough decision.

Board member Robert Gattens told Eli he was impressed by the coop. He said the application was the hardest vote in his seven years on the board. He said the board was concerned that if it allows the family to keep their chickens, it would invite similar requests from other city residents.

“Consistency is part of what we’re supposed to be,” Gattens said.

Board member Shawn Walsh said he wished the family researched how many chickens they were allowed to have before purchasing the coop. Chris Verchuk responded that they tried to look up city regulations on chickens but were unsuccessful. Laurel Verchuk said the family wasn’t aware of the ordinance.

Walsh suggested the family give the chickens to their neighbors, but Laurel Verchuk said she was concerned they wouldn’t be safe if they went with neighbors. He told the family before voting he hopes they can make it work.