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Tighter Rooster Restrictions Proposed In Town Of Islip Amid Noise Complaints

ISLIP, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A councilman on Long Island has proposed new restrictions on roosters following complaints from residents.

"They're crowing at 2 o'clock in the morning," said Beverly Drummond.

Drummond, of Central Islip, lives next door to noisy neighbors, CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported.

"It screeches. It just goes right through you because it's loud," she said.

Currently, Town of Islip code allows for up to 15 of the noisy birds per 500 square feet of yard space as long as the roosters are in secure enclosures.

Councilman Steve Flotteron now wants to restrict the birds to a smaller list of properties.

"The noise is the big thing. Because it's not like a barking dog that you could bring in or comfort," Flotteron told 1010 WINS. "A crying rooster, again, happens at all hours and again they don't bring roosters into the bedroom..."

Flotteron said part of the proposed restrictions includes moving the enclosure from at least 10 feet from the property line to at least 150 feet from the neighboring dwelling. In dense suburbia, that's effectively a ban on the birds, Gusoff reported.

"Being suburbia, we have sometimes very small, tight lots and roosters don't just go off at 5 in the morning, they go off all different hours of the day and night," the lawmaker said.

The restrictions were unveiled at a public hearing during a town board meeting on Tuesday, where things got a little heated.

"We are not a rich community that has 5, 6, 7 acre properties," said one homeowners.

But Lisa Rennar said her rooster protects her flock of chickens and fertilizes eggs she sells.

"It's definitely our right," she said.

"We as Americans need to retain our rights to produce our own resources and be self-sufficient," said rooster owner Louis Esteves.

The new law would allow homeowners to keep their hens. But without roosters it's a matter of the birds and the bees: no future chickens, Gusoff reported.

With so many ruffled feathers, lawmakers decided to delay the vote. A committee will try to re-coup a compromise, including looking into limiting the number of roosters residents are allowed to keep in their backyards.

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