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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0286.025 2024-2026From: Gloria Ilagan Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 10:52 AM To: Council Testimony ?c Subject: Bill 52-Household Henneries i c o-< `z r, Aloha r I am a local farmer, educator, and entrepreneur. I would like to testify to oppose the currents restrictions to Household henneries and perhaps suggest a more workable guideline for various city zonings. I live on an agricultural residential neighborhood where my elderly neighbor raises free range chickens. Although I am not fond of the roosters that crow 3-4 am in the mornings, I support the free range raising of these livestock for these reasons: However, if we consider the general benefits of "free-range" areas for hens (even if those areas are a large, permitted enclosure or an agricultural property), the advantages are numerous: Allowing hens access to natural foraging areas, whether fully free-range or in a large, secure run/pasture (often called pasture -raised), offers significant benefits for the animal, the eggs, and the resident/farmer. In addition to my cultural heritage of being Asian, we raise chickens as pets. 1. Healthier and Happier Chickens Physical Health: Chickens get more exercise, which helps them maintain a healthy weight and stronger immune systems. Natural Behavior: It allows them to express natural behaviors like foraging, scratching, and dust - bathing, which reduces stress, boredom, and negative behaviors like feather -pecking. Pest Control: Free -ranging hens are excellent natural pest controllers, eating insects, ticks, snails, and even small rodents. This can significantly reduce pest populations in your yard or garden area. 2. Superior Eggs and Meat Enhanced Nutrition: Eggs from pasture -raised hens often have a more varied diet of grasses, bugs, and seeds, resulting in eggs with: o Brighter, deeper yellow/orange yolks. o Higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. o Higher levels of Vitamin E. Better Flavor: Many people find that eggs and meat from free-range chickens have a richer, more robust flavor. 3. Economic and Environmental Gains Reduced Feed Costs: Hens supplement their diet by foraging for greens and bugs, which can lower your expenses on commercial chicken feed. Natural Fertilizer/Composting: Their droppings are spread across the area, naturally fertilizing the soil. They also act as great composters by eating kitchen scraps and turning them into fertile waste. Food Resilience: Raising your own eggs supports local food systems and household self- sufficiency, which is a growing priority for Hawai'i Island, helping residents have a consistent supply of fresh food that isn't dependent on mainland shipping and fluctuating store prices. Comm. 1 Ref. To. t Ref. Date 0 - 5 2025 Important Note on Residential Restrictions While the benefits of true free -ranging are clear, perhaps neighborhoods that have CCR's manage the restrictions for their particular neighborhoods. Current residential rules often require chickens to be confined to a coop or enclosed area to: Prevent them from wandering onto neighbors' properties. Mitigate nuisance issues like noise (especially crowing, which is why roosters are typically banned) and odor/sanitation. Protect them from predators common in Hawaii. If you are allowed a "household hennery" in a residential zone, your "free-range" area will likely be limited to a large, secured run or enclosure that still provides space for foraging within your property lines, but is not. completely unrestricted access to the neighborhood. Mahalo for you to consider. Gloria Ragan, Ed.D Educational Consultant 808-987-1972 "E lauhoe mal na wa'a; i ke ka,1 ka hoe; i ka hoe,1 ke ka; pae aku i ka 'aina." Translation: Paddle together, bail, paddle; paddle, bail; paddle towards the land Mary Kawena Pukui . hawail WiUife Fund Postoffice Box 180i, Kcalakckua, Hawaii H1967So c� Post Q�ce 5ox790637" Pia, Mau, H196779 Celebrating 29+years of Protecting Hawaii's nativc wildlife through research, education and conservation. 4 November 2025 Aloha Councilmembers, First, many thanks to Councilwomen Rebecca Villegas and Michelle Galimba for bringing this much - needed legislation forward. This effort to more sweepingly reduce the single -use -plastics "foodware footprint" of our island is long-awaited and has been envisioned for many years now. To be clear, this effort is nothing novel and similar legislation has already passed on O'ahu in December 2019 and in Maui County in April 2020. Hawai'i County is following their lead with Bill 83, and Hawaii Wildlife Fund (HWF) fully supports this legislation (draft 2) being heard at full council tomorrow. The best way to reduce plastic pollution from the environment (and from its continued contributions to climate change) is to stop producing it. And as an island community, that means refusing any mindless single -use -plastic products we can (where clear alternatives exist) in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint. Here at HWF, we believe and have seen firsthand the damage that plastic pollution has had on our native wildlife and coastal / marine ecosystems. We also know that plastic pollution = marine debris, as over 94% of what we collect on our standardized shoreline surveys is made of plastics. While plastic pollution is truly a global problem, we must act locally to find solutions. That means more reusables and less single - use consumerism, wherever possible. HWF has been involved in large-scale marine debris removal efforts on this island since 2003. During that time, we have removed over 370 tons of debris (a.k.a. plastic pollution!) from along the Hawai'i Island shoreline, averaging 34,000 pounds annually. In 2024 alone, HWF and volunteers removed a total of 55,004 pounds of marine debris from the shores of Ka'u (89.7% by weight), Kona and Kohala districts during 58 cleanup events. With 537 participants (97 of whom were keiki), that is an average of 102 pounds removed per person per cleanup day. This figure should help tell the story of the true scale of the problem. Bill 83 is an opportunity to reduce some of the local sources of plastic pollution from our environment (and fro our households). Our previous efforts on this island to reduce cigarette butts on beaches, plastic www.wilclhawaii.org bags, and polystyrene containers have already made a notable difference along our roadways, coastlines, within our dryland and mauka forests and within our communities. True, bans (or prohibitions) are not the only solution, but they are part of the solution and provide a great step in educating our island residents, visitors, and business members about better ways that we can all take care of our island,,our planet and our people. Founded in 1996, Hawai'i Wildlife Fund is a nonprofit organization with a mission to conserve Hawai'i's native wildlife through research and education. We engage and inspire communities through outreach, education, conservation and habitat restoration activities, conducting environmental research, supporting community -driven management efforts, and initiating advocacy campaigns. We have been working to protect native wildlife and restore coastal/nearshore ecosystems across the Hawaiian Archipelago for the past 29 years with community and partner support. Many thanks for your time and consideration. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact me at megan(@wildhawaii.org. Sincerely, Megan Lamson Leatherman, M. Sc. Hawai'i Wildlife Fund President & Hawai'i Program Director PO Box 1801 Kealakekua, HI 96750 www.wi[Jkawaii.org