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.__��__,__�l ...__ ____-...._____�____._.___ _._....._._'__.'_._-_________ ._.._ <br /> June 11, 2012 <br /> Dear Mr. Gaffron, <br /> Hello, my name is Laura Shatzer. I live with my husband Wade and three daughters on a 10 acre lot <br /> at 3685 Watertown Road in Orono. We have lived here for four years. We moved to the area <br /> because it is so beautiful and peaceful and the schools are terrific! <br /> � The area has continued to amaze us with its beauty but unfortunately it has been diminished by <br /> having to listen.to the sounds of a neighbor's roosters. The purpose of my letter to you is to explain <br /> why this has been a challenge for us and to request that the City of Orono put into place a no � <br /> chicken (or limited hens) no rooster ordinance. � <br /> Recently, I have been in communications with Christine Mattson in zoning and planning regarding <br /> the City of Orono and its stance on homeowners raising chickens and roosters. She gave me your <br /> name and advised that I send you a letter explaining my situation and reques� I will forward a copy � <br /> of this letter ccnd enclosures to the Orono City Council. � <br /> Our request is that the City of Orono revisit whether or not it will allow residents to raise chickens <br /> and roosters within city limits. <br /> Our neighbor,just three houses to the west of us (referred to as neighbor R), has been raising <br /> chickens and roosters. We might be zoned rural, allowing for chickens, but the homes are quite <br /> close together—only a stone's throw away in many cases. We can clearly hear her roosters, even <br /> inside our home sometimes with the windows closed and fan on. It has caused us stress because we <br /> want to enjoy the peacefulness of the area but are forced to listen to her roosters crow off and on all <br /> day long. We have kindly contacted her several times over the last year, as you will see below, but <br /> the roosters are still here. We wish the city of Orono had a strict no rooster policy in place like our <br /> neighboring cities so that we didn't have to try and plead directly with our neighbor. <br /> Here is some background information on our personal situation. If you want to skip the details of <br /> � our situation, please jump to the middle of page 2. �• <br /> Neighbor R moved in a few months after we did in 2008. She began raising chickens last spring <br /> 2011. The noise from her roosters (several roosters) became a big nuisance. There were mornings I <br /> could hear the roosters as early as 4—5 am with our windows closed and the air conditioner on. <br /> Roosters do not discriminate when it comes to the days of the week. <br /> We could see them in our next-door neighbors yard to the west of us, and sometimes ours. Often, <br /> they would crow off and on all day competing with each other. You could hear them several times <br /> in a minute. It caused me stress and it was uncomfortable having to ask neighbor R several times to <br /> take care of the noisy roosters (which she didn't think was a problem). <br /> The problem escalated in the fall when our elderly next door neighbor to the west of us called me <br /> upset because several (10 or so) of the chickens were in her yard and garage. They chickens and <br /> roosters where perching in her garage rafters and letting their droppings fall onto their new <br /> convertible and Christmas wreaths that they make and sell during the holidays. The chickens were <br /> also digging up the flowers and plants in their flowerbeds according from what I heard and saw. <br />