. what more do you need? Well, according to some members of the city council and some people who have complained in the press, we also need to prevent our "itinerant population" (students) from raising them and to address the supposed problem that they're going to be abandoned en masse without care, and that they're going to bug neighbors and lower property values. Just because their complaints are unrealistic doesn't mean we don't have to deal with them :( I'm just concerned about what we've seen from the council so far. Of the 7-member council: ------------- Correia I don't know. My sister lived in a small town in Illinois and her neighbors across the street had chickens and they were kind of friendly, but I don't really see it in Iowa City. I'm sorry O'Donnell No. Champion I don't know. (several talking) ... Lombardo Where do you stop? What regulations, I mean, in terms of just legislating how to keep them(several talking) Wright The fact that it's relatively common, I think there are plenty of models that could be used out there. Um ------------- Then, from one of our local papers... Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey who said her grandmother owned chickens said she was not interested in supporting such a move because supporting local business leads to a more dynamic economy, but she is interested in hearing what others have to say regarding the matter. We have a weak mayor system, so Mayor Bailey is basically just another vote on the city council. The other two members of the council haven't really said anything that we've been able to track down that indicates his views. We have Wright seeemingly in favor; Correia, Bailey, and O'Donnell seemingly opposed; and Wilburn, Champion, and Hayek unknown (Lombardo was the city manager). That's not a good starting point, and we don't get to "negotiate" with them (at best, we'll get to speak our peace in front of them the session before the vote). Then they'll either vote it up or down. So, in our position, what would you do? It might not hurt to have educational workshops at your County Ag Extension office Hey, that's a good idea. We should give the ag extension a call and see if they'd be interested in that. I think that'd go over better than just requiring that applicants read a pamphlet.

Hi Gaby I would Love to have a 48" range!! The 36" is the maximum our corner would allow without major structural changes and I did not want to go there...however, in my dreams....a great range, George Clooney, etc. That being said....I am really happy with the efficiency of the hood. It does cover the front burners. I am training myself to remember to turn on the fan just before I turn on the range top....almost there! I would think that you will be happy with your hood as long as the cfms are adequate. Cheers Pam

I reside in NY and above the stove had a hood that vented to the outside. I do not remember it being drafty. The vent or vent cap (not sure what you call it) outside does have a damper that closes. The vent above the stove was removed. A microwave was installed above the stove and vents outside. Now in the winter it is very drafty. Cold air is coming in through the filter screen and below the microwave also. It feels like a window is permanently open in my kitchen. It feels so much colder, I do not want to be in my kitchen to have coffee in the AM. The vent or vent cap outside not sure what you call it is closing when not being used. Vinyl siding was installed on the outside of the building and the vent cap and vent was supposed to be changed and the contractor just didn't bother, or doing what was in the contract But that is another story or should I say nightmare. Now it is hard to change the vent cap I was told due to siding being installed. The microwave was installed about 2 years before the siding, and cold air was coming in so I do not know if that really is the problem. I am probably getting cold air going out in the summer when the AC is on also. Who do I call in a HV or a microwave repair? I do not know what to do? Thanks

Decision has been made. My roofing contractor and I are an the same wavelength. I will have more eyebrow vents than you would believe. They will be as close as possible to the ridge like a few inches. The system will be completely passive. Nothing will wear out. It won't be necessary to crawl into an attic of extremely difficult geometry to install or perhaps service a fan. There will be no fan to vibrate or be heard. The venting at present is so minimal that hot air comes OUT the soffet vents. We don't need a 100% solution just a darn good one. There will be a VAST improvement. All my troubles will be over for ever and the world will be good again. ===================================== I inspected 2 ridge vents and 5 roofing contractors. I found: The ELK vent has only a 3/4 inch flow passage characteristic dimension. I don't believe that is large enough to establish significant flow for aerodynamic reasons. There are an unbelievable number of zig zag baffles to inhibit the air flow. The allowed opening in the ridge for this contrivance is only 2 inches. Not much is it? Thats a 2 inch inlet to a 3/4 inch high vent passage. Squirrels and birds put stuff in the vent openings especially bluejays. Bugs crawl into em. I looked at another brand which also had the same type drawbacks. Its baffles were foil shaped. Well La T Da. They blocked off 70% of the flow area. Its hot here. The ridge vents get soft and difficult to install; like nailing down spahgetti. They are made from polypropylene which in my experience just does not stand the heat and certainly not the sun. Insufficient ridge venting cannot be remedied with more vents as a short circuit will result. Insufficient Eyebrow venting can be remedied with more vents at the same roof level. Ridge vents might work. Eyebrow vents will work. =================================================================== MISLEADING ROOF VENT AREAS I measured 4 different eyebrow vents, 1 gable shaped vent and eyeballed a bunch on various roofs. I found: One eyebrow had a screened opening of 3 3/4 X 20 for an area of 75 sq in. But it had a vertical rain guard flap in front and the shortest distance from the edge of that to the lower surface of the xost pasage was 2.25 inch giving a true xost area of 2.25 X 20 = 45 sq in. The gable shaped vent had 6 louvers at 45º sort of Z shaped each with a rain lip and the top opening was semi-dome shape. The individual screens were about 1.25 inch high but the shortest distance from the rain lip to the lower surface of each louvre was 5/8 inch. The face opening was 8 x 20 overall implying 160 sq in vent. But the actual effective openings including the upper dome totaled 84 sq in. Great diligence must be exersized in any attempt to match upper roof vent xost areas to soffet inlet vent areas. The nominal dimensions of the various vents may imply xost flow areas at a wide variance from and greater than the actual flow areas. ==========================================