Calling upon Hillsborough County, Florida citizens! PLEASE HELP!

[Chicks on DL]

So many citizens, including some of our members, have had to sacrifice their chickens due to problems with Code Enforcement. A movement has started in Hillsborough County, Florida to legalize chickens. Please support us by signing a petition. The more signatures we can get the better the chance that I will be able to get support from a Commissioner.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/hillsborough-county-citizens-for-backyard-poultry.html

Thank you.

 

[MsLisaG]

I am in Ca, but I left my address off and signed for you. Good luck!!

 

[Chicks on DL]

Thank you for your support ! I really want residents of Hillsborough County so we can convince a County Commissioner to support us.

 

[jlopezcaez]

This is for Hillsborough County: So...it is illegal to keep chickens in Unicorporated Areas in Hillsborough County...hummmm....but it is OK to keep a Pitbull in your backyard that is completely capable of killing a human being....

 

[ChaosDog]

Hillsborough County resident here, I've signed the petition, and hope that more can be done, and soon!
Trying to get word out, as I've not seen much recent activity for legalizing chickens here.

 

[CherryBobbery]

I have made a reply in regards to this petition, of which I have already had more than 20 people sign, only to find out the petition will go nowhere unless people are able to do what is said at the bottom of my reply over in another thread. I contacted Bonnie, the creator of the petition and I have her reply at the end of my post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/924045/hillsborough-county-florida-legalize-backyard-chickens

 

[Blooie]

They say the definition of courage is facing something that terrifies you and doing it anyway. I'm afraid that all the petitions in the world aren't going to take the place of face-to-face meetings. You have to have the courage of your convictions. The feeling of the board is that if you were really serious about wanting to get this changed you'd come in there and answer their questions and explain your position.

There's only one way that's going to happen and that's for one of you to get up there and do it. It's nice that folks from other areas are willing to sign that petition, but unless they are members of that community with the ability to speak from the ballot box on the local level all that does is make your case look like it's so weak that you can't GET support from folks in your own area and are padding the numbers. Sorry, but that's the truth of it.

So get your facts together. Take ordinances from other nearby communities, your petition, and your arguments TO the commission. Is it hard? Yep. Is it intimidating? Absolutely. Is it necessary? You bet it is. But take an Alka Seltzer and get thee to the public office. Tell them up front, first thing out of your mouth, that you are extremely nervous about speaking in front of them or in front of any crowd. Last time I checked, those of us who serve in public office don't want that - we want you to feel like you can come to us and we're going to do all we can to help, or at least listen. Knowing that you are scared spitless but believe it's right to take a stand and offer to work with them to get something going will go a long way, because it takes courage to believe in something so strongly that you are willing to put your fears aside.

Oh, and as for tattle-taling? Go ahead. Why should you be punished for the actions of someone else? If you can prove that those aren't your chickens ripping up the neighborhood you have to do that, for yourself and for folks coming behind you who might also want backyard chickens. It's your responsibility to your community to do what you can to alleviate the destruction of property (chickens can be very destructive). Those chickens running around make all chicken owners look bad, and that's wrong. Letting them know where those birds came from if you can shows them that you don't believe in letting your chickens be a nuisance and that,again, helps you.

Good luck.

 

[CherryBobbery]

Some of us are not the best ones to go in and verbally communicate with county commissioners. I am on disability for something that does hold me back. Verbal communication skills are not my forte. This is part of the many reasons I am homebound. It will take people with good verbal communication skills.

I dont think they need someone like me to speak because I have high anxiety attacks, I could even pass out. I lack good verbal communications skills to extremes. I can type out what is on my mind with no problems. But when it comes to speaking, I was raised not allowed a voice. This has followed me through my entire life and has caused a life of struggle. It has helped to make me a very sick person.

I have the backbone to speak but it wont be words anyone will desire to hear. I have the backbone to speak and punch. I am not allowed to punch without going to jail and what I have to say might cause me some kind of contempt of court if there be any court. That is the extent of my ability to communicate and is of the many reasons I am on disability.

For now, the best way I am dealing with this is to not look at my neighbor. The idiot is riding by my house every day now, whether to try to intimidate me or just to see if my chickens are being moved, I have no idea. I do know that I am having to bite my tongue because my communication skills want to cuss the man out and throw a few punches to boot.

This will take someone who is able to remain calm. Perhaps someone who hasnt been kicked down all of their life where their life has been nothing but struggle. Just having this piece of crap, retired code enforcement jerk to deal with, is only another show of the constant struggle my entire life has had to go through. If there is a jerk out there, leave it to me to meet and have to contend with them.

As for the chickens - they are not ripping up the neighborhood. I dont see why so many people think chickens are so destructive. Maybe they all need to come out here and see the innocent lives these free range chickens live - without destroying anybody's anything. Such misconceptions by ignorant people is appalling.

And I dont have to prove anything. All the idiots have to do is come out here and ride the neighborhood and if they want to site me for free range chickens running through my yard, they will have to site every one out here -- OH except it does appear that even free range chickens know when their is a total jerk in the area - they dont even go in the retired code enforcing jerk's yard. I dont blame them.

The only people here that will even hang at the fence for this jerk's gossip sessions are the poor people who rent the house across the street from him - who I am sure he has filled their ears with a lot of lies - and I know this because that is what he wanted to do with me, when I first moved here. The man needs to go hahaha The chickens around out here are not any issue.

I did call code and zoning and the man on the phone told me when I do get my four hens and two roosters moved to my Mom's, and then inform them mine are gone, all I am to tell them is what you see out here are free ranged chickens that came up one block from agricultural land. They are not mine. It is not for me to concern myself with them. If I am to concern myself with them, then so is everyone out here who the free range chickens take their notion to walk in their yards.

The free range chickens peck a little here and there and move on down. They are not bothering anyone but the one jerk who wants to be in control of the neighborhood and they are not bothering him by going into his yard because they wont even go into that jerks yard. The one fool. He hates country living and he moved to the country like the fool he is!

 

[CherryBobbery]

.

 

[Blooie]

Some of us are not the best ones to go in and verbally communicate with county commissioners. I am on disability for something that does hold me back. Verbal communication skills are not my forte. This is part of the many reasons I am homebound. It will take people with good verbal communication skills.

I dont think they need someone like me to speak because I have high anxiety attacks, I could even pass out. I lack good verbal communications skills to extremes. I can type out what is on my mind with no problems. But when it comes to speaking, I was raised not allowed a voice. This has followed me through my entire life and has caused a life of struggle. It has helped to make me a very sick person.

I have the backbone to speak but it wont be words anyone will desire to hear. I have the backbone to speak and punch. I am not allowed to punch without going to jail and what I have to say might cause me some kind of contempt of court if there be any court. That is the extent of my ability to communicate and is of the many reasons I am on disability.

For now, the best way I am dealing with this is to not look at my neighbor. The idiot is riding by my house every day now, whether to try to intimidate me or just to see if my chickens are being moved, I have no idea. I do know that I am having to bite my tongue because my communication skills want to cuss the man out and throw a few punches to boot.

This will take someone who is able to remain calm. Perhaps someone who hasnt been kicked down all of their life where their life has been nothing but struggle. Just having this piece of crap, retired code enforcement jerk to deal with, is only another show of the constant struggle my entire life has had to go through. If there is a jerk out there, leave it to me to meet and have to contend with them.

As for the chickens - they are not ripping up the neighborhood. I dont see why so many people think chickens are so destructive. Maybe they all need to come out here and see the innocent lives these free range chickens live - without destroying anybody's anything. Such misconceptions by ignorant people is appalling.

And I dont have to prove anything. All the idiots have to do is come out here and ride the neighborhood and if they want to site me for free range chickens running through my yard, they will have to site every one out here -- OH except it does appear that even free range chickens know when their is a total jerk in the area - they dont even go in the retired code enforcing jerk's yard. I dont blame them.

The only people here that will even hang at the fence for this jerk's gossip sessions are the poor people who rent the house across the street from him - who I am sure he has filled their ears with a lot of lies - and I know this because that is what he wanted to do with me, when I first moved here. The man needs to go hahaha The chickens around out here are not any issue.

I did call code and zoning and the man on the phone told me when I do get my four hens and two roosters moved to my Mom's, and then inform them mine are gone, all I am to tell them is what you see out here are free ranged chickens that came up one block from agricultural land. They are not mine. It is not for me to concern myself with them. If I am to concern myself with them, then so is everyone out here who the free range chickens take their notion to walk in their yards.

The free range chickens peck a little here and there and move on down. They are not bothering anyone but the one jerk who wants to be in control of the neighborhood and they are not bothering him by going into his yard because they wont even go into that jerks yard. The one fool. He hates country living and he moved to the country like the fool he is!

I have been duly and deservedly reprimanded. I meant no offense, but we see it so often where people have strong opinions about something or are mad about an issue and wait for "someone else" to discuss it. Having two disabled granddaughters, I know that that's not always possible. I apologize.