Can I refuse to re-home my rooster?

[Brooks_]

Just out of curiosity, why would dry leaves be considered a code violation???

Fire hazard, perhaps?

 

[GranderTheGander]

Fire hazard, perhaps?

Are wildfires a problem in Florida?

 

[Brooks_]

Are wildfires a problem in Florida?

Brush fires are fairly common.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes. VERY bad, usually lightning induced. We have LOTS of pines in FL, which are basically upright, resin filled matchsticks. And thru the center of the state and southwards, lots of palms. Not tall "beach" palms like you see in the advertisements, but scrub palm. Dense, low to the ground. Leaves burn like paper, but the stems and heart are very fibrous. Once they get hot enough, they will keep embers alive for hours to days.

Not as bad as it used to be, only because so many have been cut down or the palmetto swamps drained, 'dozed, and filled to make room for home construction. But center of the State, once you get more than, say, 25 miles inland and 40 miles north or south of the I-4 corridor, there's still PLENTY to burn.

The OP is in Pinellas, however. Pinellas, as a county, is essentially fully developed. There's almost no places left to build (actually, there may be no places now - I lived in Tampa, just north of Pinellas County across the bay, as recently as 12 years ago.). Pinellas County, in many ways, might be compared to one huge HOA. The county doesn't even have an "AG" (Agricultural) zoning classification, unlike virtually every other county in FL, about the closes you get is "RA" (Residential Agriculture), a 2+ Acre lot with a single family home, a barn not to exceed 2 stories, and NO COMMERCIAL USE.

The county can't expand, its trapped between the Gulf, the Bay, and other well developed counties, so all it can do is continue to subdivide and build up. People have been selling larger properties for development since before the last market crash in the early 2000s when I left.

 

[GranderTheGander]

Gee, I never heard of that. Thanks for the information. I'm on the east coast on the water and our only major threats are hurricanes. Given the choice between drowning or burning, drown me! I think nothing is more horrifying than fire.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Gee, I never heard of that. Thanks for the information. I'm on the east coast on the water and our only major threats are hurricanes. Given the choice between drowning or burning, drown me! I think nothing is more horrifying than fire.

I grew up (70s, 80s) about 12 mi inland of the Greater Daytona Beach area. Almost every year, there would be big fires on SR-40 that would jump the highway and burn and burn. Weren't many developments out there at the time, but the names of them might give you a hint -

TangleWood
Pine Woods
Twin Pines
Plantation Pines
Pine Trails
Pine Ridge
Timber Creek
Pine Run

... you get the point.

and we used to go hiking and camping in and around the Ocala National Forest, which is scrub palmetto and sand pines, mostly.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Just out of curiosity, why would dry leaves be considered a code violation???

In areas where houses are close together, it is a risk for rodent infestation, termites, fire, and generally considered unsightly. (by my understanding)

 

[Brooks_]

and we used to go hiking and camping in and around the Ocala National Forest

Camped at Juniper springs a couple of times. Very nice.

 

[NatJ]

The inspector heard our rooster that no one has complained about and he said he needs to go.

Is there anything I can do? We are in an unincorporated zone in Pinellas County, Florida.

Do you know if they intend to inspect and see if the rooster is gone?

Maybe they could come see that you have NO rooster in your chicken coop, and then the inspector could go happily away again.

And the rooster could then come back from a visit to a friend's place, or from a nice day in the house, or somewhere else that is not the coop.

(This would only work if your neighbors really do not mind the rooster. If someone reports the rooster again, it will be obvious to the officials that you still have him.)

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Lesson learned, keep your yard raked if you have an illegal rooster