Begining my fight! In Eastern Connecticut

[Bigchefchip]

I live in semi-rural CT (Central Village. I have 7 hens on .75 acres of land. I recieved a letter informing me that I must remove my birds by October 31, 2010. I just got off of the phone with the Chief Zoning Enforcement Officer who told me I had three options...

The first one I dismissed!

The second will buy me another month; to appeal his decision.

After that I can "petition to change zoning regulations" which has a $360.00 fee attached...They keep no proceeds, it is all for advertising, the petition mustbe publicised.

He also told me that if I "rehome" my chickens for w while, he doesnt do a followup visit, unless he recieves a complaint: meaning I have to keep my girls hidden. That will work, for the time being...but I want these laws to change. People who keep their birds properly, dont have odor, dont have flies...any more than the cow farm two roads up from me...(in a different zone).

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[annie3001]

can you explain "central village"?
before getting your chickens, did you check to be sure you could keep them?

have you talked with your neighbors?

 

[shesaredroan]

OH Bless your heart!!!

I live in rural central Texas and have never had to worry about political/zoning issues.
I wish you luck!!!
After reading your post, I guess my coyote problems seem like an after thought!!!!
Who was the US President that promised 'a chicken in every pot' ?

So did someone file a complaint about your chickens..........how did the Chief Zoning Enforcement Officer or who ever sent you the letter know you had chickens?!?!? Do any of your neighbors have chickens??

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Start a grass-roots movement to change the code. A group almost always has a better chance to enact changes tha does a single person.

 

[forstadt]

This is outrageous that chickens could be banned in semi-rural areas like eastern CT. I am happy that my own city of Providence has seen the light. It actually might prove to be tougher to fight village authorities than city authorities, but I hope you can get them to understand that legalizing chickens is a growing trend.

 

[CTMike]

i am in wallingford,ct I am about to start my flock and build an A frame coop. Laws here say 10 hens per aker no roosters unless so many feet from buildings and so much land bla bla bla... when they get sick from bad eggs from the grocery store they will want more local eggs and tastey local chickens.

What kind of coop do you have? what if you make it look more like a shed or put some shading fabric to hide the run?



you need to find a friend of a friend who is on the board that is the most efficent way to change anything in our local gov. also will help to call the news paper and or start a local petition to change the law. It can happen it just comes down to how much you want it.

Mike

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I think what we're seeing here CTMike is how local ordinances are changing around the country. This original post was 2010 and from what your saying things are looking good.