City Hall wont tell me...

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Pick your city from this list and that should be the ordinances. Did not know about the zoing. We arelooking for a house on 10 acres in GA and I have been going by the ordinances just staying out of city limits. Good luck hope you get to keep your chickens. I won't move where we can't have them. A great house without chickens would not be a home IMO!

http://www.municode.com/library/library.aspx

Quote:
left the link out

 

[lewishe]

I live in a small town also. The only reason I knew livestock in the city limits were ok was because I sat on the planning commission. Our towns ordinances had not ever been codified( kept up to date with changes) as amendments were made they were just " put in the book" so it really made it difficult for folks to get the same answer, it depended on who you ask and how much time they had on their overworked hands to do the research. Since you already have them, I would not worry until you are told differently. The only thing that would happen is you would be given a set amount of time to relocate them, no different than if you find out now by pushing the issue. Small towns typically have bigger fish to fry than waste their time on something no-one is complaining about. You could however, continue to do your own quiet research and see what other towns your size in your area are allowing for "pets" or "food production" and be prepared to state your case as part of the solution should you be approached by the city later. Perhaps you could help show the value of sustainable living and pave the way for others in your community to enjoy fresh eggs of their own. The links already mentioned in this thread are good resources to start. Good Luck.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
I gave you the link to Sullivanpublications in an earlier post. You have to click on the Cheetah in the box. Then select your city. Open your city ordinances and type chickens in the search window and it will find all references.
If you are in Troy, which I believe you are, here are your chicken rules from their ordinances.

I'm sorry marebear, I made a mistake when researching that site. I looked at it again and Troy's ordinances don't make any mention of chickens or poultry.
When I pulled the Troy Code and searched chickens it returned the information I originally posted. Apparently gave me info for multiple cities. Sorry for the confusion but this is good news for you.
I hope this helps.

 

[Junkmanme]

Your local "Animal Control Ordinance" is likely to have MOST of the "restrictions" in it (other than the "Zoning Ordinances".)

Our County adopted the SAME "Animal Control Ordinance" as the City which is the "County-Seat".
Ha-Ha !!!!
(This is ridiculous...because...in the COUNTY...such a "restrictive" ordinance is TOTALLY "unenforceable" due to Manpower shortages and size of the County, if nothing else......besides...nobody "gives-a-darn" about those ordinances in the County.

Yep. TECHNICALLY, therefore...we are ALL "law-breakers".

Big Deal.

-Junkmanme-

 

[Chickenaddict]

Yeah im with Junkmanme, not tooo long ago they changed the ordinance here too so I called city call to comply with the new rules, she told me over a year ago she would get back to me. I know for a fact I am no longer legal but I am keeping my trap shut

I have had them for years so I am not tooo concerned. I don't think you should worry about 3 hens. I don't worry with the 45 bantams I have on just an acre

 

[alleyjazz]

Quote:
You are probably grandfathered in.

Most times the "rules" can be found in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Sometimes it is under the jurisdiction of the Health Department. Many cities and towns don't send out the chicken police, they just respond to complaints. If you don't have roosters, keep things clean and get along with your neighbors you are generally ok.

I work in a municipality in MA and the zoning enforcement agent keeps a dozen chickens even though he isn't zoned for it. He goes by "don't ask, don't tell".

 

[Junkmanme]

Chickenaddict,

Many years ago, the City I lived in passed an ordinance that said basically...Any vehicle on property in the City MUST have a current license plate, etc.

A patrolman came to my house to issue me "tickets" for my camp-trailer (which I hadn't used in years) and my Dad's old pickup (also unused for years).

(I had served 6 years on the City Planning Commission in prior years...so I knew something about laws, etc.)

I told the Patrolman that he should contact the City Attorney and inquire as to whether or not THAT LAW applied to me....because I said the law was an "Ex-Post Facto" Law which is illegal in the United States. (That is a law which makes something punishable as illegal that was legal previous to the passage of the Law.)
A Law "after-the fact".

The Patrolman said he would. He did. He called me back about 2 hours later...and said that the City Attorney told him that the Law could NOT APPLY to a "prior situation" and that I was "Grandfathered-In".

MOST people are unaware of this.

-Junkmanme-

 

[NewHopePoultry]

So far no one has said anything.
I only have 3 hens and have been keeping everything clean.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I happen to have 8 roosters at the moment but they are extremely well behaved, quiet boys. You may be right and I may be grandfathered in. Out here animal control is the sherriffs dept and they happen to wave while driving by and I am out feeding the birds scratch. I think as long as it is a controled situation and you have no complaints you should be just fine. Me i am not the least bit worried, in fact I think the whole neighborhood would be sad to see them go if it did come down to it they would all stand behind me. It is a good thing to be on good terms with any nearby neighbors just in case. Feel things out with them and see how they feel about it before letting them know you already have some.

 

[jaj121159]

Quote:
You are probably grandfathered in.

Most times the "rules" can be found in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Sometimes it is under the jurisdiction of the Health Department. Many cities and towns don't send out the chicken police, they just respond to complaints. If you don't have roosters, keep things clean and get along with your neighbors you are generally ok.

I work in a municipality in MA and the zoning enforcement agent keeps a dozen chickens even though he isn't zoned for it. He goes by "don't ask, don't tell".

The zoning enforcement part is true. I'm a zoning official and mainly respond to complaints unless there is a major violation. You could very well be grandfathered, but if you are, try to find the bill of sale for your first batch of chickens if you ever have to prove you are grandfathered. The other thing is to keep your grandfather, you shouldn't expand the number of birds you have.