Brevard County FL Ordinance change

swampwander,

Thanks for helping to spread the word!

We're going to try for an April 2012 meeting with the County Board to ammend Code to permit traditional homesteading as an accessory use of residential property. We'll be working up presentations, supporting information and at least two recommendations for the Board to review and vote on. We'll continue to campaign for more petition signatures in the mean time. We've gotten over 1000 between the online petition and those in-hand. We're hearing there are considerably more on the petitions in southern Brevard County.

You can click on the 'Petition Locations' button on the link swampwander posted above to see the businesses supporting our efforts and , if you are in the area, we ask that you patronize these businesses in return.

Please contact me if anyone has any questions.

-Toby

I have signed the petition and visited the website!  Great Blog:)

Livestock numbers are broken down by the amounts of manure each species create daily. For instance 1/2 horse equals 1 feeder cow over 550 lbs. 1/2 horse equals 2.5 pigs over 55. 1/2 horse equals 83 chickens. What is wrong with this picture that allows 4 horses on two acres, but no chickens. 4 horses equals 332 chickens in manure output.

I am in Brevard and have outlaw chickens ;)  I think the current law for Brevard County states ONE hen right?

I hope this helps

http://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/p/tips-to-legalize-chickens.html

Update: We sent letters and supplemental information to all of the County Commisioners and the Brevard County Zoning Department and we were contacted by a Commisioner's Office requesting our submission to be on a Board of County Commisioner's meeting Agenda. We have a tenative date of April 3rd to speak before them.

If you have not done so please sign the petition at http://www.avidhomestead.com/communities/usa/florida/brevard-county/petition.aspx.

Anyone who still has a paper petition we need them returned ASAP.

The text of the request:

Requested Action:

We respectfully request immediate relief for families in Brevard County through an expedited approval of backyard poultry, excluding roosters, on residential lots having a minimum of .20 acres in un-incorporated Brevard County residential neighborhoods. We feel a good preliminary number of poultry to be allowed would be 2 fowl per .10 acres of property.

Summary Explanation & Background:

A petition to allow traditional homesteading  which includes certain farm animals and fowl has been posted to various locations across Brevard County and also online at http://www.avidhomestead.com./ to allow residents the right to raise certain food source animals on residential property limited by animal types,  parcel zoning and parcel size in a humane and responsible manner. This Citizen Request is a direct result of the petition response and is focused on backyard poultry.

Our community has a long agricultural history and we, the petition supporters, see the advantages of increasing our opportunities with a GREEN- FRIENDLY government.  We are asking you to recognize and be an active part of the larger, nationwide trend by opening the doors that would allow us to be more environmentally responsible, self-sufficient and self-supporting.

Many residents of Brevard in the un-incorporated areas of our county are already keeping backyard poultry and fowl as pets, as home-schooling or 4-H projects or as a means of supporting their families.  Immediate approval in allowing backyard poultry would give these families some relief from code enforcement issues and offer some peace of mind in these uncertain and turbulent economic times.

BACKYARD POULTRY offer many advantages:

~An excellent, low-maintenance food source for eggs and meat.  As food prices continue to rise and local families struggle to make ends meet backyard poultry offers a means for residents to stretch their dollar farther and supports local business including, but not limited to, small farmers, green markets, feed and seed stores.

~Backyard poultry is an essential part of non-herbicide / pesticide-free gardening.  Chickens eat weeds, grass and harmful bugs and pests in yards and gardens while making easily compostable, nutrient rich fertilizer.

~Hens make excellent pets with a soft clucking sound which has a lower decibel level than dogs barking or car horns. Chickens offer ways to teach our young the value of life and for them to observe one of the many ways humans and animals can have a mutually beneficial relationship.

For those concerned with potential problems by permitting backyard poultry, the means to address nuisance animals or poor management practices resulting inappropriate or inhumane treatment already exist in Brevard County Animal Control laws.

We really appreciate the support we've recieved so far from everyone!

-Toby & Margaret

The latest news: The Chicken Whisperer MAY come to our County Commisioners meeting on 4/3. You can listen to his show at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/backyardpoultry/2012/03/26/backyard-poultry-with-the-chicken-whisperer. He talks about our efforts starting about 15:30 in the broadcast however I encourage listening to the whole show.

For those who are not aware the Chicken Whisperer's web site is at http://www.chickenwhisperer.net/.

We are hopeful everything will work out for him to appear and speak about the benefits of backyard poultry at our Commisioners Meeting.

-Toby & Margaret

I'm so glad to hear it!  I posted this link on his Facebook page because I know he is an extraordinary "power to the poultry" person :)  I had no idea he was actually going to be IN Florida during that time!  What luck :)