Colorado

[mrsengeseth]

code enforcement was always up my rear here...until I printed out copies of the whole codes they were trying to get me for. (silly things like grass too high (um they were tomatoes!!!), old car in the back yard (it's a 49, exempt from their codes), and instead of having a garage structure we had a pop up garage...they said the tarp wasn't good enough according to them. I printed out the codes and then I went and got their supervisor out and walked the property with me and we went over the codes one by one. They don't come to my place anymore.

But I am always nervous!

 

[breezy]

Ahh gotcha sorry I was thinking AC. So the code was changed from 14 birds to 2 birds during a city council meeting just a few months before I bought that Jersey from you. Animal control told me the code for the chickens had changed due to the city getting a lot of complaints over the course of the summer prior to then from people all over the city. I got this info from animal control during the conversation I had with them at the vets office. They told me that they had even picked up peafowl here in town. I know there were a lot of people raising all kinds of backyard birds here in Arvada before the code change. In fact we had a couple of chukars loose in my neighborhood a couple of years back. I remember thinking I wanted to get some since they are such a pretty bird and apparently quiet too. Code enforcement people are really tough to deal with and my personal experiences with them havent been pleasent either. I wish I could help.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Quote:
Exactly what time frame are you referring to here? If the city council held public hearings and a vote on changing the ordinance, they did a darn good job of not publicizing what they were doing.

 

[breezy]

I believe the code was changed 2008 or 2009. Again this was info I got during a conversation with animal control at an event. I think the timing was that the code on chickens was changed shortly before the dog license thing came about. Thats how the conversation came into play. I was questioning how dog registrations would be used. Many of my clients are over the limit on the number of dogs allowed and didnt want to register for fear that the registrations/licenses would be used to force them to get rid of pets that were over the allowed limit. The conversation eventually got around to chickens and thats how I learned what happened with chickens. Maybe the 3 AC officers I was talking to had the story wrong. Its certainly possible as it wasnt AC who did the changing and they may have come by their info by way of the office water cooler for all I know. What I do know is that if AC believes the limit to be 2 then they will act accordingly. Its very impossible to get answers from the city website and I just searched for an hour on chicken ordinances but didnt find what I was looking for. I actually called the city about 3 years ago and asked somebody and was told 2 was the limit.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

It is in Section 14-126 (b) - Accumulation of Animals. In addition to the limits on the numbers of dogs, cats and pot-bellied pigs that may be owned or kept, no person or household shall own or have custody of more than a total of 15 other animals such as pet animals, or domestic fowl of any age, or any combination thereof.

Also, in Section 14-123 (b), they have to be housed at least 35 feet from any building in use or occpied by any person other than the person keeping the animals.

 

[breezy]

Sec. 14-92. - Livestock unlawful except in specified zoning districts.

It shall be unlawful for any person to own or have custody of any livestock except in a zoning district where such use is permitted in accordance with the zoning ordinance, as from time-to-time amended.

Exceptions:

1. Except as set forth above, and subject to the limits established in section 14-126, no person or household shall own or have custody of more than two female chickens or turkeys.

(Code 1981, § 6-47; Ord. No. 3496, § 2, 12-14-1998; Ord. No. 4118, § 3, 7-7-2008)

I found this...notice the date its 7-7-2008 and the limits on dogs cats and swine was changed to a total of 4 combined as well

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Quote:
I know - it's so strange that they are both in the regs, but that's Arvada for you. Still, the livestock section says its subject to the limits established in section 14-126 - which says 15.

Problem is, if you point out this "little" glitch to the powers that be, they could get nasty and we could all lose in the long run.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Also, if you look under "Definitions", chickens are not only included in the "livestock" definition, but they are also included in the definition of "Rabbits, Poultry and Domestic Fowl".

 

[bustermommy]

Uh, two "female chickens" So 10 roos is ok?

 

[breezy]

My understanding is that the regs with the most current date is always the one enforced.

"Code 1981, § 6-47; Ord. No. 3496, § 2, 12-14-1998; Ord. No. 4118, § 3, 7-7-2008)"

Notice that the code started in 1981 was revised 12/14/1998 then revised again 7/7/2008. This isnt a glitch so much as an untidy way of simply revising /adding/changing what is already there. They never take out the old stuff they simply pile the new stuff on top . Thats why its so dang hard to understand what the regs actually mean.
I agree that pointing this stuff out to city officials simply irks them more and it never seems to come out for the citizens side.