Washingtonians - Page 7223  

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Originally Posted by Greg Richardson 

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LOL!  Short answer... to keep the neighbors happy.  If I didn't live on a 10,000 sq. foot lot, in an established neighborhood, with finicky neighbors, I'd be keeping my poo, too!  I have neighbors who absolutely hate the fact that I have a compost bin and refuse to remove it.  I'm dreading the day they discover we have chickens.  Legally, I can have chickens on our lot, but that doesn't mean the neighbors are going to like it.  One of our neighbors had rats living under his shed.  They don't keep the area around the shed clean.  It is weedy and junk is piled around it.  But, we got blamed for the rats because we have a compost bin.

I encourage you to read what you wrote again.

 

Who is dictating how you live your life?

 

There are no do overs in life.

 

You are dreading they find out you are EXERCISING your RIGHT to have chickens? Huh?

 

Ask yourself if you could go ahead in time to ten years from now knowing the whole time you missed out on one of the great fantastic benefits of owning chickens would you still feel this way?

 

All this time you threw those benefits away because you are letting neighbors control you missing out on better flowers, vegetables, more soil.

 

IMO it's way past time to tell your neighbors you know a good real estate agent they can use if they want to keep on whining.

        Right on Greg.

In my world if you move in next to me prepare to accept how I live and the things I do or be miserable. I will gladly assist you in the latter part! 

I save room in the landfills by burning everything I can. And by causing nasty stinky smoke tends to help keep at bay those who would like to RUIN control the rest of the state like they have done in King county! 

CR- I'm in King county...what's so bad? We live on half an acre, are allowed as many fowl as we want (barring bad conditions of course), can burn our refuse and/or yard waste, can compost, can have small farm animals, can shoot in our backyard, etc. Maybe we're just in a good area of King Co?

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Originally Posted by FirewifeJess 

CR- I'm in King county...what's so bad? We live on half an acre, are allowed as many fowl as we want (barring bad conditions of course), can burn our refuse and/or yard waste, can compost, can have small farm animals, can shoot in our backyard, etc. Maybe we're just in a good area of King Co?

Is there really such a thing?  And while I don't know you yet. Those of us who CHOOSE NOT to live in the city get tired of those who do live in the city making laws that control us. And I won't even go into the whining when those same laws fail. 

Well someday we hope to leave the city to have more land (3-5 acres) and make a sort of mini-homestead for ourselves...until then we're happy being close to friends, family, and church ;) But yes, apparently there IS, indeed, one small good area of King Co! We even have a small seasonal creek running through the 1/2 acre backyard! I do agree wholeheartedly that nobody should make laws for areas they know nothing about. In fact, nobody should make laws period for homeowners...it's MY land!

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Originally Posted by cflaming 

You can check with the fire department.  I have a burn permit for yard waste.

Oh I wasn't meaning to nitpick the rules, just finding an excuse to tell your neighbors as to why you want to compost it instead. 

Edit:  oops.  See below.  I was trying hard to ignore the burning details, really.

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Originally Posted by Chicken Rustler 

I was hatched and raised in Warshington and nothern Oreeeegon. We didn't never useta hear no such things until we was invaded by those wantin to change things to the way it was where ever they came from. If it was so good there then why do they come here tryin to change things.

I really like the idea of the split but I think the line should be from east to west with one way roads headin south. Maybe that would help by reducing the cauliflowerians!       

Still doesn't explain why those born and bred.... I say, BORN AND BRED in this here briar patch will squarsh their warshes.

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Originally Posted by FirewifeJess 

CR- I'm in King county...what's so bad? We live on half an acre, are allowed as many fowl as we want (barring bad conditions of course), can burn our refuse and/or yard waste, can compost, can have small farm animals, can shoot in our backyard, etc. Maybe we're just in a good area of King Co?

OK, the burning is a pet peeve of mine.  Regulations for burning are at the state and federal level, with tighter controls in some locations.  Just so you know, if you live in area where it is legal to burn, the only thing you may burn is clean, dry brush, leaves and wood, and enough paper to get things going. The free permits offered by the fire department, if they are required in your area,  are only good to 10 feet in diameter, after that you need to apply for a permit from your region's clean air agency.  Lawn clippings, dimensional lumber, paper, and any burning in a container like a burn barrel, within 50 feet of structure, or even if you simply smoke your neighbor out, all are against the regulations in any area, even if burning is otherwise permitted without a specific permit, like in ours.  Under no circumstances is garbage allowed to be burned.  The fire must be attended until all smoke has died down.  From what I understand, King County was trying to ban all burning of this type.

No, I'm not a stickler for rules in general, in fact I'm rather a scofflaw when it comes down to most things, but this one especially is a pet peeve of mine.  So, sorry, for the diatribe.  

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Originally Posted by SweetSilver 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicken Rustler 

I was hatched and raised in Warshington and nothern Oreeeegon. We didn't never useta hear no such things until we was invaded by those wantin to change things to the way it was where ever they came from. If it was so good there then why do they come here tryin to change things.

I really like the idea of the split but I think the line should be from east to west with one way roads headin south. Maybe that would help by reducing the cauliflowerians!       

Still doesn't explain why those born and bred.... I say, BORN AND BRED in this here briar patch will squarsh their warshes.

I bet if it were checked out closely one would find that there are very few "BORN AND BRED" that refer to it as "Warshington" on a serious level. I would be willing to bet most of those people saying it with the "R" areactually transplants. Unless they are like me and just do it for fun because we find others who become so agitated by it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Richardson 

I encourage you to read what you wrote again.

 

Who is dictating how you live your life?

 

There are no do overs in life.

 

You are dreading they find out you are EXERCISING your RIGHT to have chickens? Huh?

 

Ask yourself if you could go ahead in time to ten years from now knowing the whole time you missed out on one of the great fantastic benefits of owning chickens would you still feel this way?

 

All this time you threw those benefits away because you are letting neighbors control you missing out on better flowers, vegetables, more soil.

 

IMO it's way past time to tell your neighbors you know a good real estate agent they can use if they want to keep on whining.

I reread it.  Let me rephrase... I dread *hearing* the complaints about it.  I don't let anyone dictate how I live (unless it is a law).  I have wanted chickens for 3 years and patiently waited until the city finally rewrote the city code to allow them.  City chickens have only been legal in my city for 5 months. Most of my neighbors probably don't even know they are legal now.  I'm sure there is going to be a lot of squawking (and not just from my 3 hens) about those chickens living in my back yard.  I will happily educate my neighbors that they are legal.  And yes, as long as none of them turn out to be a roo, I will keep them.

Like I said in one post, I have more compost than I can use in my compost bin.  I am an avid gardener - a city chick who dreams of living in the country.  I have been studying permaculture and urban homesteading for 4 years.  It is not legal for me to sell anything (compost, chicken poo, eggs) animal-based that is produced in my yard.  That IS written in the city code.  I can have it for personal consumption.  That's why we only got three chickens - to raise what our family can consume.  That waste has to go somewhere.  It doesn't need to get piled up in my yard and unnecessarily upset the neighbors. I have respect for their rights, as well.

My city code allows for burning to control disease.  I will confirm with the fire department if I have to have a permit to burn small piles of used shavings in a backyard fire pit.  People have backyard fire pits throughout the city - it didn't even occur to me that a permit might be needed to have one.

As a cub scout leader, I teach my children to follow all laws, and if we don't like the laws we work with the city to change them.  My children have met the Mayor, have met the firemen in two fire stations, and, when he was only 7 years old, my oldest son has even given a speech to the city council, with the Mayor standing at his side .  I can assure you, I am not someone who will sit back and let neighbors control me.  I am one who will proactively and assertively advocate change where change is needed.  And, I will do it respectfully to those who live around me.

Edited to add:  I am basing my assumption that a few neighbors might complain about the chickens due to their openness in complaining directly to me about my compost bin.  Who knows... maybe they will readily accept them.