Cobb County Georgia chicken variance attempt

To put it in context for those of you who want chickens in Cobb county Georgia on less than two acres..........

My wife and I are currently going through the process in Cobb County Ga to get a variance for chickens on less than 2 acres. It has been costly and is not an easy process to go through. You have to fill out a variance application and pay your associated fees (over 200 dollars including signs and mailings). You must also contact all the property owners whose property touches yours in the least bit, and get all of their approval and signatures. If one of them says no to you having chickens you will not get approved. This is all for 3 chickens in my backyard. I have to go to a zoning and a board of commissioners hearing during the middle of the day on two separate occasions to get the votes needed to get this done......

That being said.........

I NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

Please help support citizens rights to have backyard chickens and private property rights by attending our zoning hearing.

MY ZONING HEARING IS ON 2-11-15

Variance Hearings start at 1:00 p.m. and are held in the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 2nd
Floor of the Cobb County Building A, 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta, Georgia.


I am happy to answer any question you may have. Please feel free to comment.



Thanks for your support in advance.

In the 'Raising Backyard Chickens' forum there is a section on 'Local ordinances and how to change them' - have you clicked on that? Perhaps it might help. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice while changing the ordinance may be on the future agenda if that is possible. Currently we are in the process of getting chickens under the current variance law on the books(This also isn't as easy as it seems). There seems to be some unwritten rules on the books above and beyond the rules stipulated by the Board of Commissioners as to where we can place our coop for example.
We need local support more than anything at this point. We just want to raise our couple of chickens on our own property, we want the ability to produce our own eggs as a hobby, and we want to be a model for how this can be easily done in an suburban environment in Cobb County Georgia. My wife and I have truly made a commitment to be the best of the best when it come to keeping pets and maintaining our property to the highest standards possible. Also thanks for the welcome!

I also have a hearing on the same date and time. It is a request to revise a variance that previously was filed and approved but too many restrictions were placed. I have more than two acres to keep chickens, but because of a couple of creeks that run through my property, there was no spot to legally build a chicken coop! It took a variance to get the permission to build a coop , but so many unnecessary restrictions were imposed. We could talk about it over the phone or meet if you would like.

Moe pm sent

I will try to be there in support next week. I currently have 2 chickens in my backyard, but have not started the variance process. Can you point me to the most current application please? Also, I don't have a stamped plat, just a lot plat given to us at our closing. Not wanting to pay for a survey, do you have any advice on whether a stamped plat is really necessary and where I might ask for a copy on file with the County if they have one? Thanks so much and I'll be rooting for you!

I will be straight honest with you if you go through the variance process someone if not multiple people will come to look at your home. They will see your chickens and you will have to remove them from your property as it is a code violation on less than two acres. They do not play in cobb county. A survey stamped is also needed. The county will not have a copy if your survey on file. If you live in east cobb there are other things to contend with. Also be ready to address any other code violations found on your property. Not to discourage you. This is just how the game is played. Pm sent to you with number

http://www.cobbcounty.org/images/documents/comm-dev/permits-app/2015_Variance_Application2.pdf

Link to current variance application found on zoning board page

Expect a survey to cost you about 500 or so. Don't be afraid to negotiate. McClung Surveying did mine for me. Variance application can be found under zoning on the Cobb County website. You can also google Cobb County Variance Application The process will take roughly 4 months from first application. You will have to have all of your neighbors approval and by neighbors I mean the houses on both sides, the house across the street and any other piece of property that touches yours in the least bit.

Our variance has been passed. Now it is on to the BOC. Stipulations are that the coop be kept within 15 feet of the rear of my house and can only be moved the length of my home. We are getting excited its been a long ride. Thanks to Murray on the zoning board for all his help. I am guessing that I will end up talking with my commissioner before our hearing in front of the BOC on 3-17-15. We shall see.