Charlotte County Florida ordinances

[LutzFLdawg]

I'm in a similar situation in Pasco County. We live in the county in a non deed restricted neighborhood. Our lot sizes are similar to your neighbors.

I talked to several people at code enforcement, and was told more or less the same thing: I have to be in the county, it can't be prohibited by the HOA (we don't have one), and it only becomes the county's problem if they neighbors complain enough.

Being a courteous neighbor, I asked my two closest neighbors, and neither had a problem. I also promised them fresh eggs and that their kids/grandkids could come over and look at the chickens anytime they wanted as long as we where home, so that may have helped.


I guess the moral in most of Florida's rural/semi-rural counties is to be a good neighbor.

 

[EightIsEnough]

I just was sited by local Charlotte County Ordinance for code violations because an "anonymous" source complained about my chickens. Actually the exacting violation was "Harboring Chickens in a RE-5 (Residential Estate-5)." Mind you I have had my chickens (6-20 hens on and off) and two rooster for six years, with no complaints, no new neighbors, and some neighbors have moved away.

I am on a five acre lot in Prairie Creek Park. Neighbors that are within five to ten acres enjoy receiving fresh eggs and say they enjoy the crowing. Almost everyone "here" has animals: chickens, ducks, geese, lamas, ponies, goats, buros, exotic birds and cattle, and of course horses, since this is a "ranch" community. Yet "I" was sited for violations because of a complaint and the inspector had to come out, passing the cattle, the goats, the geese and other chickens to my house to site me.

These animals (what's allowed are only two horses per family - right like my neighbors have "only" two horses) are all in VIOLATION per the county inspector I spoke with today. But because their were no complaints about those animals, they are OK to stay on the properties.

Per the ordinances I have to remove my chickens from my property within 30 days. I haven't stopped crying. They are my children, and I am sick that an "anonymous" source did not have the spine to confront me, if in fact they were bothering him/her at all.

The county says the "anonymous" sources can not be revealed, even if my lawyer says I have a right to know my accuser. Will fight that one.

Any words of advice, fighting words, or names of county members to help -

 

[EightIsEnough]

I just was sited by local Charlotte County Ordinance for code violations because an "anonymous" source complained about my chickens. Actually the exacting violation was "Harboring Chickens in a RE-5 (Residential Estate-5)." Mind you I have had my chickens (6-20 hens on and off) and two rooster for six years, with no complaints, no new neighbors, and some neighbors have moved away.

I am on a five acre lot in Prairie Creek Park. Neighbors that are within five to ten acres enjoy receiving fresh eggs and say they enjoy the crowing. Almost everyone "here" has animals: chickens, ducks, geese, lamas, ponies, goats, buros, exotic birds and cattle, and of course horses, since this is a "ranch" community. Yet "I" was sited for violations because of a complaint and the inspector had to come out, passing the cattle, the goats, the geese and other chickens to my house to site me.

These animals (what's allowed are only two horses per family - right like my neighbors have "only" two horses) are all in VIOLATION per the county inspector I spoke with today. But because their were no complaints about those animals, they are OK to stay on the properties.

Per the ordinances I have to remove my chickens from my property within 30 days. I haven't stopped crying. They are my children, and I am sick that an "anonymous" source did not have the spine to confront me, if in fact they were bothering him/her at all.

The county says the "anonymous" sources can not be revealed, even if my lawyer says I have a right to know my accuser. Will fight that one.

Any words of advice, fighting words, or names of county members to help -

 

[EightIsEnough]

February 20, 2013
Section: Port Charlotte Herald
Right now, the zoning code allows no leeway for residents who wish to contest violations about urban chicken keeping; the code enforcement board has to side with the zoning law.

Just read this (posting from an earlier entry) - guess I have no chance in hades to keep my chickens. I am sick.

 

[EightIsEnough]

February 20, 2013
Section: Port Charlotte Herald
Right now, the zoning code allows no leeway for residents who wish to contest violations about urban chicken keeping; the code enforcement board has to side with the zoning law.

Just read this (posting from an earlier entry) - guess I have no chance in hades to keep my chickens. I am sick.

 

[jilla]

I'm so sorry to hear that you have to get rid of your chickens. I live in Charlotte county also and I'm terrified someone will complain and I'll lose them. I met a gentleman a couple of months ago who lives in Charlotte county and has several chickens and a rooster an has had an inspector at his house because of a complaint and was somehow able to keep them. I have his website, maybe you can contact him and get some good news. It's freyjafarms.com and his email address is [email protected] . Please keep us updated and good luck.

 

[mplucker394]

Any updates ?
Thinking of buying in Charlotte County... currently in Cape Coral where no chickens are allowed .

 

[mplucker394]

Also intetested in DeSoto but I havent foubd that board yet. Thx

 

[ChickChick Nana]

I live in Port Charlotte, Charlotte County by Kings Hwy. My neighbor got a visit from Code Enforcement on her lawn being high, guess a neighbor complained. While the Officer was here I asked him about chickens and how many we could have (I was going to get a couple chicks for my grandkids and keep them for egg laying). He told me that we were not allowed to have chickens in the residential areas. Wow, I am so confused, I have been buying eggs from a couple ladies that have chickens and they live in Port Charlotte also.

How can we all come together to approach the county and present our concerns? I am on board, let me know what I can do.

 

[maybechickens]

ChickChick Nana,

I have heard many different statements from the county about whether chickens are allowed in residential, but generally the code officers will say no when asked. However, reality says that if you have them and nobody complains, there's no problem. You just need a Plan B in case a complaint happens.

It's especially frustrating when there's no code I can find that says yes or no regarding chickens in residential zoning. Please post one if you can find one. The county was supposed to review ordinances last summer, but I haven't done the research since to know whether that happened.

I can say this... I know of five houses with backyard chickens within a 1/2 mile of my house and I'm in suburbia here. They're everywhere if you look for them. And they bother nobody... at least no more than the average dog or cat bothers anybody.

I would be glad to help bring this to the county's attention again. They had a county commissioners meeting (last spring I think) when backyard chickens was supposed to go on the agenda. I believe it was delayed once or twice, and eventually completely dropped, so it never came up for discussion.

I think we would need a large # of people willing to come for public comment during one of these meetings. Their meeting dates are on the county website... we could start there.