Bluefield West Virginia Chicken Ordinance
| Are Chickens Allowed in this location | Yes |
| Max Chickens Allowed | Not stated ZONING ORDINANCES APPLY |
| Roosters Allowed | Yes |
| Permit Required | Yes |
| Coop Restrictions | Proximity, zoning, building, sanitation, noise ordinances apply. |
| City/Organization Contact name | 304.327.2401 |
| Additional Information | Sec. 3-7. Permit to keep animals and fowl. (a) No chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, live poultry or fowl of any kind, horses, ponies, cows, calves, rabbits, guinea pigs or live animals of any kind except dogs and cats shall be kept in the city without the owner thereof having received a permit to keep the same from the city clerk and approved by the city manager. No charge will be made for such permit, but such permit will only be granted upon agreement that the stable, barn, coop or other place where such animals, poultry or fowl are to be kept shall be constructed in such a manner that it can be kept and maintained in a dry, clean and sanitary condition, free from offensive odors. Applications for such permits shall be accompanied by a certificate of consent signed by a majority of the householders residing within a radius of five hundred (500) feet from the place where such barn stable, coop or other place where animals, fowl or poultry are kept shall be built and maintained or used within fifty (50) feet of any house inhabited by human beings and unless built and maintained in a clean, dry, sanitary condition and free from offensive odors, and provided further, that none of the above enumerated poultry, fowl or animals shall be allowed to run at large, but shall be housed in a suitable enclosure. Such enclosure shall be kept thoroughly clean and unobjectionable at all times. Upon the failure of any owner or occupant of any premises to comply with any of the provisions of this section, such barn, stable, coop, etc., shall be deemed a nuisance, and as such shall be removed or abated as provided by law. (b) No household shall keep within the city more than three (3) adult dogs or three (3) adult cats without the owner thereof having received a permit to keep the same from the city clerk and approved by the city manager. No charge will be made for such a permit, but such permit will only be granted upon a finding by the city manager that keeping such numbers of animals will first be conducted in a manner meeting Mercer County Humane Society\\\\\\\'s standards for cleanliness, sanitation, freedom from offensive odors, noise and overcrowding. Such permits are conditional upon maintaining good conditions of cleanliness, etc., and may be revoked for cause at any time. Any person having more than the permitted number of dogs and cats after revocation of a permit shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and fined ten dollars ($10.00) for every day that such condition continues to exist after citation or other revocation of such a permit. For the purposes of this section \\\\\\\"person\\\\\\\" shall mean a company, individual, or family unit (whether composed of relatives or not) that shares a single living unit such as a house, apartment, etc. (c) The city clerk may revoke any permit issued pursuant to this section upon a finding that the permit holder had violated its terms and conditions. Such a finding shall be made only after giving the owner of the animal in question notice of the violations and an opportunity to explain such violations to the city clerk. (Ord. of 8-24-2004) It shall be unlawful for any Sec. 33. Abatement of nuisances; regulating various activities. The board of directors may by ordinance require and compel the abatement and removal of all nuisances within said city at the expense of the person, or persons causing the same, or of the owner or owners of the ground whereon the same shall be; restrict the driving of hogs, cattle or other stock within said city, either as to time within which they may be driven, or both; prevent any such stock or dogs and other animals, chickens or other fowl from running at large in said city; or subject the same to such regulations and taxes as they may deem proper. The board of directors shall also have authority to locate, prohibit or license, regulate and tax, slaughterhouses and stockyards, or the exercise of any offensive or unhealthful business, trade or employment within said city; to prevent the firing of guns, crackers, or any combination of gunpowder, or other explosives and dangerous materials in said city; to prevent the driving or riding of horses or other animals, the riding of bicycles or other vehicles, the running of locomotives or automobiles propelled by steam, electricity or other power, and of cars of all kinds at a speed exceeding that prescribed by an ordinance of the city, within its limits; and, generally, to prevent such conduct in the city as is prejudicial to the comfort, health, convenience, safety, peace and good order of said city or the inhabitants thereof, and to make and ordain appropriate provisions and penalties for the enforcement of all the lawful regulations of said city, respecting the matters hereinbefore in this section mentioned. |
| Link for more Information | http://library5.municode.com/default-test/home.htm?infobase=10458&doc_action=whatsnew |
| Information Last Updated | 2010-04-29 21:43:12 |
NOTE: This information was submitted by a member of our chicken forum. Please make sure to double check that this information is accurate before you proceed with raising chickens. Learn more about local chicken laws and ordinances.
