Tecumseh MI 49286 The fight begins!

[Jdowntec1981]

With acess to corn and tons of old antique mills and hit and miss engines I figured it was time to raise chickens and provide family and friends with natures best offering! Low and behold Good ole City Manager giving me a run around about approving the "permit or permission" to allow chickens in the city limits. I enlightened them to the right to farm act of MI, Even though we are zoned resdential there is nothing stating on the book we can't LLC and have our own business under it! Well they sternly told me they are banned, they are prohibited, with all conversations in email I asked questions why are rabbits allowed, cause they are pets, I showed the facts that there are farms raising rabbits for furs and meat, I also asked how and why the pot belly pig ordnace was revised to alllow pigs with permit he says they are pets, I again showed him farms that butcher their "pot belly pigs" I emailed Ann Arbors city laws and Jackson MI city laws and still nothing.

So I have sat here tonight and read 117 pages on this subject in this wonderful forum, I am just needing approch, My brain is fully confused and I am not sure how this properly needs presented to the Mayor! Does anyone have letters they have sent that I could read to help me? I am in a rock and hard spot and just want to be able to live my life respectfully!

Anyone else in Tecumseh that would like to help me win this?

 

[CaraBear]

Welcome!

Page 59 of the Michigan Right to Farm Act thread has a copy of the letter I sent to my city....
Good luck!

 

[jvoelker74]

Hi there,
I am glad to find this post!! We have always been a BYC user, as we kept chickens for the last few years in Lodi Twnship. We have sold our 10 acre property and are moving to Tecumseh later this week. I am aware that Tecumseh does not "allow" BYC at this point in time in the city limit (we are moving to West Chicago downtown). I plan to be polite and petition the council for the right to keep chickens. As a newcomer with a historic home downtown, I do not want to ruffle too many feathers (lol) but at the end of the day- we have the Michigan Right To Farm Act on our side and I will keep chickens legally according to this piece of law. I know a poster included a link for you, but if you need more information, please feel free to get in touch with me with a reply here.

 

[wingless]

Yes this is a hot issue all over Michigan. Lots of us work together here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...farm-law-what-does-it-mean/1260#post_11810674

 

[pickeringmi]

Hi moved to tecumseh two months ago. I have a historic home with a historic barn that haa (what used to be) a chicken coop in it. I was all excited to get some chickens then I saw this post. I am more than happy to petition the city!!

 

[Abirdbrain]

I for one, find it amazing that people think they must ask to persue what is already law. It also amazes me that these so called leaders of our towns and counties, do not understand the law, and give out false information as they choose.

To that, I simply put them on notice of my intentions, give them the pertinant direction of case law, and continue about my business. Quite often, it stirs up an ire of 'how dare you', but gives me a legal footing, in that If it ever goes in front of a judge, I did not agree to ignore the law. Also, I do not bargain with my rights, that they may try to limit by agreement. I do not negotiate my rights away simply because they make a claim. A lawyer will always try to avert a reconning in front of a judge, a) it costs money, b) the judge may question why the courts time is being wasted on wrong headed opposition to written law.

If you are to deal with local or higher government and officials, reduce everything to paper, and keep files. Keep a tape recorder in your pocket at meetings if need be, as the minutes can be re-written at will after. Always pay for a copy of the minutes. It is a shame some officials think winning is the only thing, instead of true government.

Stand up for your rights, it is not about chickens. It is minority rights, with majority rule, always has been.

Got to the libray, or book store and get Roberts Rules of Order. It is the prceedure of towns meetings and government forums, so they cannot shuffle you off, Out of Order, Etc. Sometimes they will stall, and you have to get on new business at the next meetng, (and be ignored perhaps). Be warned, you have to play the game, but with facts not fiction, you can easily win, or carry the fight for your rights to the next level. Get going.

 

[Dcbellah]

We were considering getting chickens and live on Pottwatamie. Is this okay to do? I understand we could under the Michigan Farm Act, but we don't want to make the investment and then have to get rid of the chickens. Thanks for your insight!!

 

[wingless]

The law says yes, our state agricultural agency says no. The scholars say yes. The courts say yes sometimes, no others. The chair of the site selection GAAMPs committee says yes.

Not sure what else to tell you. The Michigan Small Farm Council works on this every day, and the FaceBook page is a good place to look for information on what is currently going on.

http://www.michigansmallfarmcouncil.org

https://www.facebook.com/michigansmallfarmcouncil

 

[Lee in Michigan]

I realize this is an old thread but I hope all those who have posted will see this. I am in Tecumseh and am in the process of organizing backyard chicken supporters to approach the city council en masse to get the "no chickens" ordinance changed. Please PM me and I will give you my phone number so we can talk in the "real world." If you're on Facebook, please visit our page: www.facebook.com/TecumsehBackyardChickens.

I've found there is a LOT of individual support for backyard chickens in Tecumseh - we just have to stick together!

 

[Lee in Michigan]

I hope you're getting notifications, even though this thread is old.

We're starting a new effort to legalize backyard chickens in Tecumseh and are rallying support. Tecumseh Backyard Chickens is a new local organization whose mission is to educate residents, amend the city ordinance addressing chickens, and promote responsible chicken-keeping in Tecumseh, Michigan.

We're having our first organizational meeting / strategy-planning session on Wednesday, July 16 at 6:30 pm at the Tecumseh District Library (meeting room B). This is when we'll decide what happens next - do we approach the city council en masse? Start a petition? Write letters to the editor of the local newspaper? Or all these things? Please mark your calendar and join us - we need your ideas and your support.

Our Facebook page will have regular updates: www.facebook.com/TecumsehBackyardChickens
BACKYARD CHICKENS IN TECUMSEH: AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME