Text · page 7 of 11
went out. Skrzypek stated that he believes Travis went there twice. Commissioner Yoder asked if there was any evidence of rats. Ira Butler stated that on the previous Sunday a man named Jeff came to house stating he was an inspector and showed a picture of his driveway with a stone pile. Butler had the stone removed in April, so the photo was old. Chairman Dimpfl asked if this man showed any ID. Butler stated no. The Board said that anyone who comes should show ID and anyone from the Town would come during working hours during the week. Dave Skowronski, 3677 Fifth St, spoke on the variance. He has a problem with the birds because they are known to attract rodents, and they already have a rat problem in Blasdell. He stated that Butler is not neighborly. He blasts music all day long. Commissioner Chapman said that is not relevant to this variance. Skowronski stated that it is relevant because a study from Michigan University found that loud music and bass causes stress in birds and negatively affects their health. He also believes they are breeding the birds. He thinks he should buy a farm if he wants to raise animals. He said if Butler talked to his neighbors instead of blasting music that this could have went away and they could have looked the other way. Commissioner Yoder asked if he had anything to add about the rats. Skowronski stated that there is a bad rat and skunk problem. The rodents will look for seed, water, and shelter. Chairman Dimpfl stated that the Erie County Health Department takes rats very seriously and that Skowronski should contact them. Skowronski stated that his dogs eat the rats and then he has to take them to the vet and that costs him a lot of money just for a visit. Kate Spolviak, 3684 Sixth St Upper, spoke on the variance. She is the direct neighbors of the Butlers. Her main concerns are the bird poop in the yard which attracts rats, the negative effects of loud music on the birds and residents, and the negative effects of the barrel fires they burn. During her research she found that pigeons reproduce very fast. A mated pair can lay eggs every 4-6 weeks and are capable of breeding year round. Some of the Butler’s birds are kept in the coop structure in their back yard and some are kept in the garage overnight in cages. An article from the University of Berkley states rats are attracted to the smell of pigeon eggs, baby pigeons and their droppings. Rats carry diseases and spread over 35 pathogens. Rats are also known to cause property damage. The loud music the Butler play prevents neighbors from enjoying their yard; it negatively affects the birds too. An article from Colby College states loud music causes stress in birds and will negatively affect their immune system and life span. Butler also regularly burns fires in barrels which is against the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation rules and Town of Hamburg Code. Before all of this, the neighbors have a repertoire with the Butlers, and Ira Butler mentioned that he burns the rats he catches in the fires. That has a foul odor and is a fire hazard. The bird poop is about 6-8 ft. away from the fire barrel. She passed around photos for the board to look at. Tom Pemberton, 3671 Fifth St, spoke on the variance. He quoted the Hamburg Town Code 67 (7) “It’s unlawful to harbor, keep, or maintain poultry in the Town of Hamburg in any property outside of RA”. Pemberton provided a petition signed by Woodlawn residents against the coop. He went around on a Sunday night after dinner to gather these signatures from neighbors. The