chicken ordinances in Jacksonville

[imbzquiltn]

I "heard" there may be some petitions going to the city council regarding keeping chickens in Jacksonville. I believe it wasn't geared to residential, though. Has anyone heard this?
Has anyone considered starting a petition to allow chickens? I know some town allow "3 pet hens" and such - maybe something could happen here in town?
I would start one, but I'm leery. A - since I'm hiding mine now, I'd hate to start this and have my place "inspected" and B - who would sign it? Surely no one who is doing what I'm doing - - - but, if none of us do anything???

 

[Melonee]

Hi. What are the current ordinances? I'm interested in keeping chickens in Jacksonville.

 

[imbzquiltn]

I'm not really sure of the actual ordinances. There is something that gives a limit on how close to dwellings, but quite honestly, I haven't bothered to go downtown and look them up "hard copy".

I don't live in a deed restricted neighborhood nor is there an HOA here, so I haven't been given a "set of rules" so to speak. In fact, I'm close enough to areas that ARE agricultural that I can quite easily hear someone's rooster each morning / late afternoon.

Diane

 

[dbeason]

Hi, I'm new to this site and just saw your post today. I too am keeping 3 hens in my residential neighborhood backyard. My neighborhood is not deed restricted and does not have an active Homeowners Assn. We have kept chickens and/or pekin ducks for most of 10 years and have only had a problem once with an overactive nosy neighbor who turned us in to the zoning board. We did have to find homes for our pet chickens but not long after that, the woman moved. We waited a while and then got new chickens. No problems since.

My house backs up to the Intracoastal marsh so animal and bird noises are pretty common. 2 of our neighbors know we have the chickens but have no problems with it.

I intently followed the story of the people in Atlantic Bch and their pet chickens. I was saddened by the outcome of their case.

Good luck with your chicks. They are wonderful pets. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one around here harboring illegal livestock in a residential neighborhood!

 

[dkowalski87]

http://www.petitiononline.com/hens4jax/petition.html

Here's the petition. Spread it far and wide!