- Jun 22, 2011
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Is there anyone out there interested in changing the zoning laws for residential property in Chesterfield Co? I have come across a petition to the BOS to change the laws. There are some issues with it, it's not very specific, but is a good starting point, to get together the people interested in making these changes.
A concern I have is that while 3 hens is reasonable for a small city lot, out in Chesterfield one might have 3 to 10 acres to work with, and 3 hens isn't very many. One could easily manage 10 or a dozen, plus a few ducks or turkeys, or rabbits.
The current law states that one must apply for a conditional use permit to have a residential stock farm. To do this, one must get permission from one's neighbors and petition the BOS, at a cost of 1000.00. This is prohibitively expensive. And there is no guarantee, or even likely-hood that it might be granted. This applies whether one wants to have a dozen chickens, a few dwarf goats, or a single rabbit in a hutch as a pet for a child.
Now, there are different rules in areas zone agricultural. One has to have a minimum of 3 acres, and I forget the particulars there, not being in the agricultural zone.
I urge people in Chesterfield who are interested in keeping small livestock, to sign the petition, as a starting point. There is a FB site working on this, called Chickunz, working on chicken laws in Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield. Anyone interested in forming a group, can PM me, although there may already be a group started. Thank you.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/legalize-backyard-chickens-in-chesterfield-county.html
A concern I have is that while 3 hens is reasonable for a small city lot, out in Chesterfield one might have 3 to 10 acres to work with, and 3 hens isn't very many. One could easily manage 10 or a dozen, plus a few ducks or turkeys, or rabbits.
The current law states that one must apply for a conditional use permit to have a residential stock farm. To do this, one must get permission from one's neighbors and petition the BOS, at a cost of 1000.00. This is prohibitively expensive. And there is no guarantee, or even likely-hood that it might be granted. This applies whether one wants to have a dozen chickens, a few dwarf goats, or a single rabbit in a hutch as a pet for a child.
Now, there are different rules in areas zone agricultural. One has to have a minimum of 3 acres, and I forget the particulars there, not being in the agricultural zone.
I urge people in Chesterfield who are interested in keeping small livestock, to sign the petition, as a starting point. There is a FB site working on this, called Chickunz, working on chicken laws in Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield. Anyone interested in forming a group, can PM me, although there may already be a group started. Thank you.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/legalize-backyard-chickens-in-chesterfield-county.html
