Chicken Ordinance Reviewed In The City of Midland, MI

[CaraBear]

I know it's been awhile since this thread was active - but I've just kind of been dumbfounded since the City voted this down...so I've spent lots of time here, and elsewhere in internet land, researching the Right to Farm Act - and I think I might tackle it in Midland....Mark, was this addressed at all during the City's meeting? Or because it requires selling eggs, etc, it wasn't something anyone wanted to tackle?!

 

[keithjjo]

Part of the City's ordinance if they were to pass it was that egg sales would not be allowed. Now I don't remember if that was just at the home or if they thought they could ban the sale of the eggs in general. Remember, the RTFA does not state that you have actually to sell a product, but you must maintain the intent to sell. If you put a price of $20 a dozen on the eggs and no one buys them, you are still protected under the RTFA. Also, if you are not able to produce a product but still have the intent to sell it, the RTFA covers you. You also must conform to the Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practices (GAAMPs) relating to raising chickens. There are some excellent articles as this relates to beekeeping and can be adapted to chickens here:

http://www.michiganbees.org/2010/right-to-farm-and-beekeeping/

and the MDAs GAAMPs for 2012 here:

http://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-1567_1599_1605---,00.html

Happily outside of Midland city limits,
Keith

 

[CaraBear]

Thank you for the link to the beekeeping article - that was very helpful!

Do I get a coop, set it up and then send a request to the MDARD for a pro-active RTFA inspection? And how do I showcase that I'm meeting GAAMPs other than with pictures and statements of how I will comply (since in all likelihood they will actually not come for an on-site inspection...)

I don't want to make a huge investment if I'm going to get challenged by the city and have to abandon my plans....is there a way to get MDARD right to farm approval without actually farming yet??

Thanks for any help/advice....financially I'm getting a little gun shy, and don't want my kids (and I!) attached to chickens that we'll lose our shirts over trying to keep...

 

[CaraBear]

Anyone out there in midland still want to work on getting an ordinance passed (again), or help me fight City Hall on the MRFTA???

 

[daniel2segura]

I was at the meeting when they voted it down. I made an impassioned, logical and reasonable case. I think they had already made up their minds before even walking into the meeting. It was a unanimous vote. We have 1.6 acres in Midland and are thinking about having a bee hive.

 

[PaulaBlanch]

I see that this post is REALLY old, but I am interested in revisiting the chicken ordinance. Hoping that there is a hope of getting that changed! I have created a Face Book page for like minded Midlanders to congregate; search Midland Back Yard Chickens.

Do you know of anyone still on this bandwagon? Interested in passing the word?

 

[CaraBear]

I will help spread the word and am very much still working on this issue ...

 

[PaulaBlanch]

Hi Again,

I have recently had several contacts with Brad Kaye with community development. Here is a portion of his last letter:

"It was the determination of Midland City Council at that time, based on wide community input and significant city resident opposition, that chickens and other forms of fowl should not be permitted except on lands zoned for agricultural purposes. That decision was just made by City Council on October 24, 2011 and there are no plans to revisit the issue.

While I appreciate both your input and your offer to assist with standards that would regulate the keeping of chickens, the city has already considered this matter and determined not to amend our current ordinance standards to permit the raising of chickens. Should you wish to raise chickens within city limits, you must therefore do so on lands zoned AG Agricultural."

I would like to keep working on this project, but do not want to duplicate what you already have done. Are you interesed in working together to see what we can accomplish?

Regards,
Paula

 

[CaraBear]

Sure!

i strongly disagree with his "significant city resident opposition" comment....all of those comments and letters are a matter of public record...and support for the ordinance outweighed the opposition BY FAR.

anyway - the whole thing still ticks me off

 

[saleciahost]

Hi, I have just moved to this lovely town and very dismayed to learn that backyard chicken keeping is not allowed. Is anyone interested in petitioning the city to change this?