A McKay Road woman told the Edgecomb Planning Board nuisances caused by approximately 50 chickens and 15 roosters are ruining her quality of life. Delia Snyder described problems on Aug. 7 created by an endless parade of neighboring fowl.

"They cross the street and tear up my garden and constantly create a hazard in the road," she said. "The roosters wake me up at 4 a.m. every morning. I can't see how this is allowable. It's destroying my property, and why don't we have some sort of noise ordinance?" Chairman Rebecca Graham responded the town has a noise ordinance, but it doesn't apply to animals. 

Snyder previously contacted the town's animal control officer on numerous occasions without a satisfactory result. "I love Betsy (Pratt) she does a great job, but there really wasn't much she could do. She asked the neighbor to fix the problem. '(Neighbor) said she would fix it, but didn't',"

Code Enforcement Officer Marian Anderson reported McKay Road isn't the only place in town with a poultry problem. "I receive calls all the time about chickens and roosters, but there is no ordinance. So there is nothing to enforce," Anderson said.

While chickens seemingly are protected by state law, that isn't the case for roosters. Snyder inquired about creating an rooster ordinance. The planning board encouraged her to check with Town Clerk Claudia Coffin about requirements for placing an ordinance on the town warrant.

In other action, John Allen, president of Sheepscot Harbor Village Resort Condo Association sought the board's input on making about 30 units more livable. For two decades, 29 of the 70 units were designated as non-dwelling units. For Allen and other year-round residents, the designation restricts a full-kitchen or stove within the space for those units.

Allen was seeking planning board assistance in securing a change of use. The structure called "The Inn" has 14 units which currently have several residents living there year-round. Allen lobbied for the change of use because the resort has significantly changed since it first opened nearly two decades ago. 

"At first, It wasn't intended as a year-round residence. So that's why the 'no stove' provision exists. People are now living in the units year-round, and we are inquiring how to change this?" Allen said.

An ordinance change may significantly impact the town's tax increment finance district. Davis Island is part of the district. The island also includes The Inn, a banquet facility, and several cottages incorporated as the  Sheepscot Harbor Village Resort Condo Association. The planning board needs time to research how a change of use may impact the TIF district.

"This is something that needs a lot of research because I don't know if it's allowed or how it would impact the district," Graham said. 

The board meets next at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21 in the conference room.