Orange County FL Zoning Approved for BackYard Chickens!

[OtownHens]

Hi all-
I just joined the BYC group. I live in Orange County FL and want to have some hens in my backyard. I found out that its not really allowed, but I know lots of people who have them in the more rural areas of Orange County. I live just south of downtown Orlando and want some hens, too.

There is a meeting at the Orange County Admin office, tomorrow...Thursday May 16th at 9 am at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting at 201 S. Rosalind Ave, Commission Chambers.

If you can attend and support the change to the ordinance so we can all have chickens, I would appreciate it. Please spread the word...I would love to have a bunch of supporters present for the meeting.

Thanks,
OtownHens

Thursday, 05/16/2013, 9:00 AM
Contact: John Smogor - Planning Adminstrator, Planning Division
201 S. Rosalind Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32801
(407) 836-5616 or [email protected]
Location: Administration Building, 1st Floor 201 S Rosalind AV Orlando 32801
Category: Advisory Board Meeting
Districts: 1,2,3,4,5,6
Additional Information:

• Agenda for May 16, 2013 PZC.pdf
• Proposed Changes to Chapter 38- Back Yard Hens Ordinance.pdf

 

[redsoxs]

Greeting from Kansas, OtownnHens, and

! Pleased you joined us! Good luck to you and your mission to get some chickens. You might also post this in the FL thread of the link below. Good luck to you!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

- Good luck!

 

[OtownHens]

Hi all-
I spoke before the Orange County Zoning Board today and I am happy to report that the ordinance was passed by a vote of 7 to 1.

Step 1 is complete and we are on our way to having backyard chickens!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC!!!

Glad to have you aboard!!

 

[OtownBeekeeper]

So, what is the new guidelines for chickens in Orange County? I'm right on the border... house on one side is Orlando. Been thinking about it for some time...

 

[OtownHens]

The ordinance to allow the chickens is still being finalized. I spoke at the zoning meeting, the Animal Services meeting, and there is another Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday 6/18 at 5 pm. I plan on attending that meeting as well. The meeting is open to the public, so the more people that are there in support of chickens the better. Tell all your friends and see if we can get a good crowd of supporters!

Here are the highlights of what has been approved so far.

3 hens allowed, no roosters.
Hens must be kept in a coop or fenced pen area. They can only be let out under "continuous custody" of their owner.
Applicant must submit a site plan to the zoning division for the coop and pen area.
Coop requirements: max size of coop and pen shall be 100 square feet. If coop is larger, a building permit from Building Division may be required.
Max height of coop is 6 feet from existing grade to highest point of coop or fence.
Coop in back yard only. There are set backs from the property line and adjoining house that must be met, but I am still gathing info on those.

A permit is needed, but Orange County will not limit the permits like the city of Orlando. Orlando limited the permits to 150 residents.
You must take a class on raising chickens through the Orange County Agriculture Extension office with Dennis Mudge.

Hens are for producing eggs for consumption on the premises. Eggs shall not be sold. Hens cannot be slaughtered on property.

Most importantly, this County ordinance does not override existing Home Owner Association rules. So, if your HOA does not allow it, you may need to work to get that changed.

My HOA does not allow it, but I can fight my HOA much easier than fighting Orange County.

 

[nikami510]

Where exactly is the meeting with the board of county commissioners? I wish to attend.

 

[OtownHens]

Hi-
Sorry for the delayed reply. The meeting is Tuesday 6/18 and starts at 5:01 pm. The meetings are conducted in the Commission Chambers located on the first floor of the County Administrative Center at 201 S. Rosalind Avenue, Orlando.

This is the first of 2 public hearings on backyard chickens. The more supporters of backyard chickens we have the better.

I found the agenda online at the Orange County official website. The meeting starts at 5:01 pm, but that does not mean they will necessarily start talking chickens at that time. Sometimes they have more than 1 agenda item or previous items run long.

The meeting chamber does have wi-fi...so if there is a delay, its easy to fill the time.

Hope to see you there!