Hi-
Dealing with town here regarding my chickens and living in Residential A where "livestock" is permitted with a Conditional Use Permit. However, under the current town bylaws, "livestock" is listed as Cows, Horses, Sheep, etc. (etc. is actually there, just liked i typed it, that is what they listed) There is no definition of livestock in those bylaws either. I'm told they assumed everyone knew chickens were livestock.
The new bylaws that are still draft form, go into a little more detail. Chickens are listed, however, ducks, peafowl, guineas and lot's others are not. They say the new (unapproved bylaws can apply to me as they are required by law to enforce both, even though their own rules say they have to be approved before enforcing) Go figure. Does it sound like legally they don't have a leg to stand on? Assuming everything and the zoning admin admitted both the current and new ones coming into affect are scetchy at best. Argh. They have decided i can have 24 chickens, NO roosters and have to do my best to keep fly control and smell down. My chickens are confined to MY property, have fresh shavings regularly ( I have a plentiful supply of them) and there are only 4 flys on the sticky fly paper in the 8x12 coop they are in, as well as a chainlink pen that is 8x12. I'm going to fight this, as I think legally they can't even require a conditional use permit. I won't have more that 24 chickens but have some great lines of marans and ameracaunas that I would like to reproduce, thus needing a couple roos at some point. I would take on this process on my own, with no counsel.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks so much,
Kathy
Dealing with town here regarding my chickens and living in Residential A where "livestock" is permitted with a Conditional Use Permit. However, under the current town bylaws, "livestock" is listed as Cows, Horses, Sheep, etc. (etc. is actually there, just liked i typed it, that is what they listed) There is no definition of livestock in those bylaws either. I'm told they assumed everyone knew chickens were livestock.
The new bylaws that are still draft form, go into a little more detail. Chickens are listed, however, ducks, peafowl, guineas and lot's others are not. They say the new (unapproved bylaws can apply to me as they are required by law to enforce both, even though their own rules say they have to be approved before enforcing) Go figure. Does it sound like legally they don't have a leg to stand on? Assuming everything and the zoning admin admitted both the current and new ones coming into affect are scetchy at best. Argh. They have decided i can have 24 chickens, NO roosters and have to do my best to keep fly control and smell down. My chickens are confined to MY property, have fresh shavings regularly ( I have a plentiful supply of them) and there are only 4 flys on the sticky fly paper in the 8x12 coop they are in, as well as a chainlink pen that is 8x12. I'm going to fight this, as I think legally they can't even require a conditional use permit. I won't have more that 24 chickens but have some great lines of marans and ameracaunas that I would like to reproduce, thus needing a couple roos at some point. I would take on this process on my own, with no counsel.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks so much,
Kathy