SouthEast Michigan: Where can you raise chickens and where can you not

[wingless]

How did your inspection go?

 

[jimmywalt]

Thank you for posting this! I live on the west side of the state along Lake Michigan and am planning to have 4 hens and a 4'x4' coop in my back yard in my subdivision.

Hope all goes well for me.

 

[thegospelisgood]

the proactive inspection with the inspector went very well we have a green light to install to apiaries for beekeeping with certain circumstances met. My lot has .16 acres.

 

[Jennriley]

What about Warren Michigan?...the ordinance is so confusing to me... right to farm, pet chickens farm chickens.... Can I have Chickens in Warren or not? Does anyone know?

 

[chickortreat]

I'm sorry, but it blows my mind that some of you are having to beg permission from some board or council of biddies just to own chickens/bees/whatever. This is AMERICA, not the USSR! Who gave these minions the authority to tell you what you can and cannot have on your own property???

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I'm sorry, but it blows my mind that some of you are having to beg permission from some board or council of biddies just to own chickens/bees/whatever. This is AMERICA, not the USSR! Who gave these minions the authority to tell you what you can and cannot have on your own property???

Well, do you want your neighbor to have a toxic waste dump on his property? Or piles and piles of old tires strewn about? Or a bunch of lions or chimpanzees? Or a dog rescue organization with 150 dogs on his .05 acre lot? Or...

Allowed (and disallowed) uses are to make sure that the right to not have nuisances forced upon one are protected. What constitutes a nuisance can vary from one person to another, and be interpreted differently at different points in time (history). Michigan has a pretty good RTFA law that provides protection for a lot of the activities you mention. (not quite sure what all "whatever" encompasses).

 

[chickortreat]

Well, do you want your neighbor to have a toxic waste dump on his property? Or piles and piles of old tires strewn about? Or a bunch of lions or chimpanzees? Or a dog rescue organization with 150 dogs on his .05 acre lot? Or...

Why is it always some off-the-wall example? Why not let folks sort it out for themselves? I somewhat mastered the art of Mind-Your-Own-Business-101 years ago, and uncut grass, tires strewn about, junk cars, etc don't bother me. I can tend to my own and leave others alone.

As to the lions, chimpanzees and dog rescue mission, I could handle all that too. If ever they set foot on my property, they'd mysteriously come down with lead poisoning.

 

[wingless]

What about Warren Michigan?...the ordinance is so confusing to me... right to farm, pet chickens farm chickens.... Can I have Chickens in Warren or not? Does anyone know?

Jennriley, if you are commercial (for example, if you sell some of your eggs), and if you are willing to meet state guidelines for managing your operation (the infamous GAAMPs), then RTF protects you from nuisance lawsuit from neighbors and from the enforcement of local regulations that conflict with RTF:

Beginning June 1, 2000, except as otherwise provided in this section, it is the express legislative intent that this act preempt any local ordinance, regulation, or resolution that purports to extend or revise in any manner the provisions of this act or generally accepted agricultural and management practices developed under this act. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a local unit of government shall not enact, maintain, or enforce an ordinance, regulation, or resolution that conflicts in any manner with this act or generally accepted agricultural and management practices developed under this act.

I recently attended a workshop given by Kurt Schindler and other land use experts at MSU-Extension, and they basically said that with very few exceptions, the Right to Farm protects everyone, just like it says. And since they are land use experts, their audience was primarily local officials, who were not happy with that message. But the language of the law is clear and unambiguous, as you can read in the quote above.

On the other hand, if you aren't commercial or don't follow the GAAMPs, then you do have to follow the local ordinances to stay compliant with the local law, since in that case the state law does not protect you.

There is a terrific BYC thread on this issue here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...farm-law-what-does-it-mean/1260#post_11825943

And welcome to BYC. This is a great site for all kinds of chicken information.

 

[Jennriley]

Thank you so much for your replies...its a lot to take in I'm definitely going to have to do more research before I get my feet wet..there are a few cities nearby that allow backyard chickens it almost seems less intimidating to just move to one of those.. thanks again for the info

 

[Pilotguy762]

I'm finally getting out of my apartment and into my own home

however, I have yet to decide where I'm looking to move. I work in the Wixom/Novi area and I'm not having any luck as far as Google or Unicode goes..... I'm not aversed to driving up to 20 or so miles to work everyday if it means I can finally get my own homestead started. Any suggestions?

Thanks!