The Woodlands, Texas...aka. "Stepford Hell"...aka. "The Cult"

I would love it if you could have someone come talk to us, maybe at one of your Sat morning farmers' markets? And I know several people on my street who would sign the petition. I would really like to be able to have a couple (2-3) chickens for purposes of having fresh eggs for my husband and me, and am displeased that in a community that presents itself as being "green" and "sustainable living" that I am not allowed to do this according to the township ordinances. Can you let me know if you decide to put a petition together or have someone come talk about the subject.

Honestly The Woodlands is so uppity that there is NO WAY they will ever approve it. Especially when you could just move 5 minutes north to Magnolia or Conroe and have as many chickens as you like (well, in some places - some small acreage communities there don't even allow them now). It just is what it is.

We're just on The Woodlands/Magnolia line in an HOA, fortunately we have no back neighbors and the neighbors on either side don't care. Last year was our first flock and we started with 5 chickens which we lost in an unfortunate way with our dogs The neighbors were just as upset about the loss as we were. I gave up on figuring out how to even make changes with the rules, especially after I replaced my front door and painted it and HOA photographed my little "misstep" and insisted I take the door down and replace it with the old one and then submit a request for approval... told them good luck since I just sold the old door, haha. A few fines and a lien later all is well... This area seems to be a bit of a joke, we come here because we want to have that country home feel but they want to regulate every darn thing you do. So I just do what I want and if they catch me, they catch me and until then I'll be a chicken lovin hippie.

By: Taylor of Collin S.B. No. 1620
(In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2017; March 21, 2017, read
first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental
Relations; March 30, 2017, reported favorably by the following
vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; March 30, 2017, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the regulation of raising or keeping six or fewer
chickens by a political subdivision.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, is
amended to read as follows:
CHAPTER 251. EFFECT OF NUISANCE ACTIONS AND GOVERNMENTAL
REQUIREMENTS ON CERTAIN [PREEXISTING] AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS
SECTION 2. Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, is amended by
adding Section 251.007 to read as follows:
Sec. 251.007. SIX CHICKENS ALLOWED. (a) Notwithstanding
any other law and except as provided by Subsection (b), a political
subdivision may not impose a governmental requirement that
prohibits an individual from raising or keeping six or fewer
chickens in the boundaries of the political subdivision.
(b) A municipality may impose reasonable governmental
requirements on the raising or keeping of poultry in the boundaries
of the municipality that do not have the effect of prohibiting the
raising or keeping of six or fewer chickens, including:
(1) a limit on the number of chickens an individual may
raise or keep in excess of six;
(2) a prohibition on breeding poultry;
(3) a prohibition on raising or keeping roosters; or
(4) the minimum distance an individual must maintain
between a chicken coop and a residential structure.
(c) A governmental requirement adopted by a political
subdivision that violates Subsection (a) is void.
SECTION 3. Section 251.007, Agriculture Code, as added by
this Act, applies to a governmental requirement adopted before, on,
or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

Quote:
Contact your representative: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1164894/big-news-in-texas-this-week

I live in the Woodland Heights, but I don't think that's what you are talking about.