The Chandler City Council is preparing to vote on a proposed ordinance aimed at curbing excessive feeding of wild birds, a move prompted by complaints from residents about property damage and health concerns. The ordinance comes after Thayne and Joy Martin, local residents, reported that their neighborhood has been overrun by pigeons and other wild birds due to a neighbor’s daily feeding of large quantities of bird seed.

Community Concerns

The Martins have likened their situation to Alfred Hitchcock’s movie ‘The Birds,’ describing how they wake up each day to ‘hundreds of birds’ gathering around their home. The birds have left droppings throughout the neighborhood, causing significant cleanup challenges. ‘You walk through our neighborhood, underneath every street lamp is a massive pile of poop,’ Thayne Martin explained.

According to the Martins, the issue began several years ago when a neighbor started putting out about 15 pounds of bird seed daily, attracting pigeons and other wild birds. The accumulation of droppings has led to premature roof damage, with the Martins spending thousands of dollars on repairs and bird deterrent systems. ‘That bird poop turns into acid, which eats the underlayment and the metal fascia, and it makes your roof fail early,’ Martin said.

Ordinance Details

After unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issue directly with their neighbor, the Martins launched a petition effort, collecting signatures from residents in their neighborhood and others facing similar problems. Their efforts contributed to the proposed ordinance, which would prohibit excessive bird feeding and the keeping of non-domesticated birds when those activities impact neighboring properties.

‘It’s not saying that you can’t have a bird feeder at your house, that’s okay, but when the bird droppings start accumulating on other people’s property, when you’re causing damage, physical damage, health concerns, that’s when you got to draw the line,’ Martin stated.

The Chandler City Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed ordinance at its next meeting on Thursday, marking a significant step for residents seeking relief from the nuisance caused by excessive bird feeding.

Original reporting: 12News / KPNX (Phoenix) — read the source article.