(7/27) At its July 26 meeting, the Thurmont Town Council discussed potential changes to town livestock code for non-agricultural properties.

Moving off the scheduled agenda, Mayor John Kinnard noted residents have filed livestock related complaints with the town, but the code enforcement officer cannot address these complaints due to the current regulations. The ordinances need to be updated by the council.

Several homes in Thurmont own livestock that "are not addressed in our regulations regarding livestock on residential properties," Kinnard said.

Currently, the town typically follows and defers to Frederick County Animal Control regulations, but the county code does not specifically address livestock, he said.

While "each and every call," is diligently answered, unfortunately, the town code enforcement officer’s hands are tied in addressing these complaints and issues.

Unless code regulations precisely spell out what livestock is allowed and prohibited, it is very difficult for the code enforcement officer to act.

Kinnard looks to put language in the town code that addresses the concerns of Thurmont residents and allows the code enforcement officer to enforce and implement regulations.

With this specific language, Kinnard looks to have more stringent control of livestock on residential properties that fall within town limits.

Residents of West Main Street and Belmont Avenue have made numerous complaints regarding the smells and sounds of animals as well as the increased number of rats due to livestock feed and fecal matter build up.

Kinnard has also been provided photographs from residents that depict deceased vermin and noted a property owner acquaintance on West Main Street who has physically brought forward dead rats that the resident claimed to have been trapped on adjacent properties.

"I can assure you that the rats are there as a result of livestock, feed, and the manner the properties are kept up in," he said.

‘When you start having issues with rats in resident neighborhoods, that’s a bad issue to have. Animals running loose along residential streets without regulations is a gateway to worse issues and clear code language could help quell that before further concerns arise." he said

The council reached a consensus to send a recommended list of proposals forward to town attorney, Leslie Powell, for review.

Kinnard suggested the prohibition of livestock that is "anything other than domestic chickens," including but not limited to ducks, geese, peacocks, goats, and pigs, from "nonagricultural property within the town limits."

The code language would also have to be very specific to include whether or not roosters were included along with chickens as complaints have arisen "not only from the sound, but the smell, and other issues," he said.

Another suggestion, by Kinnard, was to require considerations for sufficient yard space, a regulation that would likely limit approval to only single family homes, preventing owners of townhomes and condos/apartments from attempting to keep livestock on their property.

Specific regulations requirements also need to be included for what kind of enclosures would be necessary for the chickens, noting some properties are currently utilizing entire yards to house the poultry, according to Kinnard.

Requirements would also be necessary to address complaints of waste cleanup and potentially limiting the number of animals per square feet. "This is an issue that goes all around," he said.

Although Kinnard anticipated the council would run up against residents who requested to be "grandfathered in," exempting them from the new regulations, he believed the council could set a time limit on implementation of the new rules and move forward to resolve the issue in six or seven months.

Any outstanding property that doesn’t adopt the regulation is anticipated to be required to resolve the situation within a few months.

"You live in a community; you are not living in a vacuum… there are neighbors to be considerate of," Commissioner Wes Hamrick said.

While currently referring to the county for animal control authority, the biggest question Kinnard had going forward is "What responsibility are we giving ourselves to enforce this sort of thing?"