Any success stories on legalizing chickens (overturning outdated ordinances) in your city? How did

[qandamamma]

Hello,

Any success stories on overturning city laws to allow pet chickens? I live in Mission Viejo, CA that has conflicting laws and a ridiculous code enforcers. I'm interested in waging a battle with the city to overturn these outdated laws. Need to understand the process of how a resident can challenge these laws. Any success stories and lessons learned if you failed that you can pass along? Thanks

 

[redriver]

Hello, Any success stories on overturning city laws to allow pet chickens? I live in Mission Viejo, CA that has conflicting laws and a ridiculous code enforcers. I'm interested in waging a battle with the city to overturn these outdated laws. Need to understand the process of how a resident can challenge these laws. Any success stories and lessons learned if you failed that you can pass along? Thanks

Hey there! Welcome! This should probably be posted in the Laws and Ordinances forum. If you go there you will find a ton of information that will help you out. However, I will answer your question. Yes! I have managed to change my city's rules to allow hens. You can do a search for Yreka (my town) and you should be able to find the link with the whole 18 month(ish) saga. To give you the Cliff Notes version, (Spring, 2011) I drafted a proposed ordinance allowing hens. Gave it to a councilman friend who was pro-chicken. He got it on the agenda and the council discussed it. Sent it over to the planning council and they discussed it. Had a second planning council meeting where they unanimously voted to recommend against allowing hens. City Council discussed it again. Decided to vote on it at the next meeting. Next meeting only 4/5 of the council attends. Vote is a tie. (Fall, 2011) Nothing happens for a few weeks as everyone is sick of chickens, even pro-chicken people. I discussed situation with councilman friend. Chickens put back on agenda. Suggestion is that it either gets decided within the council, or if they cannot somehow manage to have all five attend and get a majority, then send it to the voters. Almost everyone wants them to make a decision and move on. Fifth councilman who missed the last vote doesn't want to cast the tie breaker, instead wants to use city funds to send it to the voters. Vote on if to send it to the voters or not is scheduled for next meeting. Vote is 4/5 to send to voters. One councilman was not happy that the council was so ineffectual about deciding on this that he was the lone nay vote, even though he is pro-chicken. (Fast-forward to June, 2012.) Chickens in city limits is passed by the voters. Yeah! Now I am in the process of building my coop, and hatching eggs will be set on Saturday. ...the end, for now.