Chicken coop height and Code Enforcement

[RocketBen]

So, I'm in the middle of building a new coop. It will be 5x10', and nearly 7' high once the roof is on (it's a walk-in coop). But then I found a document on animal permit guidelines on my city's website that states the following:
Quote:
How picky do you think code enforcement will be about the height? I'm on a half acre in a somewhat wooded area, and my neighbors don't really care (at least the onces I've talked to), but I guess code enforcement could be jerks about it. Should I not worry about it? Should I just not file for the animal permit at all?

Thanks for any advice,

- Ben

 

[chickmama1662]

Sometimes if you don't get the required permit, they can make you tear the structure down and start over. I'd hate to have to do that. Is there anyway you could make it a little shorter so you wouldn't have to get a permit?

 

[RocketBen]

The only way to make it shorter would be to tear apart what I've done already and basically start over (I've framed the walls).

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You have to consider the intent of the code, which is to prevent damaging debris from blowing around the neighborhood during a hurricane. A small low profile "animal shelter" is less likely to blow away and won't cause as much collateral damage if it does as a larger shed type building.
No 2 inspectors interprete even a simple code the same way. They are usually more lenient to DIY homeowners than with professional contractors who are sposed to know the codes. If you have the cool inspector he'll approve it with just a quick glance, but if you get the grumpy old inspector that just had a fight with his wife that morning, he'll ruin your day just because he can.
If you're getting inspected it's best to meet code. Could you redesign the roof and/or maybe cut several inches off the wall studs with your sawzall?
If you procede without a permit just remember that the mailman, garbage, gas, water, cable, & telephone company regularly come snooping around on your proprty and can snitch you out at any time, as well as the building dept, tax office, animal control, and police & fire dept whenever they feel like it.

 

[CSWolffe]

Go in and try to speak to an inspector in person. The fact that you are trying to inform yourself and make sure there wont be any troubles will set you ahead of most. They appreciate the initiative.
When planning for my brick wood-fired pizza oven I went in and spoke with a city planner about zoning laws and building codes, and then did the same with the fire inspector. Turns out there are no laws on the books regarding such structures, and if I went ahead and built it and a neighbor complained, it would be up to the inspector on sight to interpret, and he could be in a bad mood, could be confrontational, or could just not like me. But now, I'm in the clear.

 

[RocketBen]

I might try to call code enforcement tomorrow and see how they feel about it. If I can psych myself up to do it. Stupid social anxieties.

 

[Michael Apple]

What would be beneficial to the chicken keeping American citizens is a a local petition campaign across every state with enough signatures to overturn ridiculous ordinances. If I built a coop 6' high, I'd hit my head walking into it every time or screw up my damaged neck even worse. Government creates these ordinances because they have had little rebellion in the past. They just keep pushing it, and pushing it in order to orchestrate more theft from us. How much are people going to put up with? We put up with their mechanized noise, loud music, urban sprawl and housing developments, spraying herbicides all over public parks and school grounds, collective bargaining with taxpayer money we have no control over so they receive large pensions, yet they want to micromanage our rights on our own properties? To me it is outrageous. It is BS like this that drives me out of the city limits and away from this society of increasing submissives.

 

[RocketBen]

They told me that they are fairly strict, but the height is considered to be the middle of the slant. Time to break out the pythagorean theorem and figure out how much I need to lower it.

 

[nellynelly]

build up the ground below.