A Carriage Drive resident, whose hobby is flying show pigeons, hopes the Zoning Board of Appeals will let him keep at least 50 of the birds in a coop behind his home
The town had ordered Shafi Kalici to remove his pigeons from his property after a neighbor complained this summer.
He appealed a cease and desist order from the town, and the Zoning Board of Appeals held a public hearing on the appeal Thursday evening.
Thursday, Kalici agreed to let the members of the ZBA visit his property during the next four weeks to see for themselves that the birds are well kept and that his property can comfortably accommodate 50 of them in a large coop.
The ZBA tabled a decision on what to do about the cease and desist order until its meeting Dec. 2.
The cease and desist order issued in July had mentioned more than 100 of the pigeons on the property, but Attorney Jonathan E. Spodnick of Trumbull, representing Kalici, said the actual number is between 50 and 60.
Zoning regulations say residents are allowed to keep a “very limited number” of pigeons and other types of animals for personal use, enjoyment or consumption, so long as they are kept in a sanitary and non-offensive manner.
But no number is specified.
“We don’t feel we are in violation of your regulations,” Spodnick told the ZBA. “There is no noise, no odor, no impact on neighboring properties. These are domesticated fancy pigeons, they are show pigeons, bred for high duration flying. It’s his hobby. These are not the pigeons you see on the street.”
Complaint
According to the cease and desist order, a neighbor complained about the pigeons on July 15. That neighbor was apparently Larissa Shackett, of 9 Carriage Drive, who told the ZBA Thursday the birds defecate all over the neighborhood.
“The final straw was July 4 weekend, when there was a pigeon that got into our fireplace,” she said, adding she complained to the Naugatuck Valley Health Department, and that is how the complaint got to the zoning officer.
“Everybody knows the pigeon house in Seymour,” Shackett told the ZBA.
Defense
Spodnick rebutted her claims that the pigeons defecate as they fly, because this particular breed can only defecate while perched. Also, he rebutted a claim she made that the birds carry disease. This particular breed is actually vaccinated yearly for a disease that only spreads to other each other and does not affect people, he said.
While Shackett wanted the cease and desist to be upheld, other neighbors said the pigeons are not a problem.
“I personally don’t have a problem with it. It’s a hobby, something he enjoys. I lived in Bridgeport and had 400 of them without any problems with neighbors,” said John Pilova, of Greenwood Circle.
“I have absolutely no problems whatsoever with the pigeons. He only flies five at a time. They are very quiet, there is no noise at all. These birds are very trainable. They are beautiful birds,” said Robert Gombos, of 17 Carriage Drive.
Now it is up to the ZBA to uphold, discard, or modify the cease and desist order. Kalici is asking to be allowed to keep 50. The regulations on the exact number of the birds to be allowed on property was left blank for a reason, depending on the property, said Robert Looker, the town planner who helped write the regulations.
“It’s up to you to use your judgment,” Looker told the ZBA.
