Coop help (design and permits necessary??)

[ShrekDawg]

The laws/ordinances page seemed to be mostly whether you're allowed to keep chickens or not but nothing on this so I figured I'd put this here but sorry if it's the wrong category.

Anyways, do you think I would need a permit to build my chicken coop???

It's not very big, only like 4 x 8 so maybe 32 sq.ft. and then an extra foot for the nest boxes so 36 sq ft with them. The run would be big though, like 120 sq ft. It would also probably be raised some but that's not included in the run space.

From what I've read, you need a permit for sheds but I guess I just wasn't sure if this counted as a shed??

I know for a fact that we have a right to have chickens or whatever else we want thanks to this right to farm bylaw:

http://www.town.duxbury.ma.us/Public_Documents/DuxburyMA_ByLawsGen/rtfbylaw.pdf

But I just wasn't sure about the coop part.

Here's all the pages I could find and you guys can tell me if you think this means I need a permit????

links/says what projects you need permits for.

http://www.town.duxbury.ma.us/public_documents/DuxburyMA_InspctBuild/buildingpermits

http://www.town.duxbury.ma.us/Public_Documents/DuxburyMA_InspctBuild/Procedures

specific page on sheds:

http://www.town.duxbury.ma.us/public_documents/DuxburyMA_InspctBuild/Sheds

not really sure what this page is or if it's at all relevant:

http://www.town.duxbury.ma.us/public_documents/duxburyma_health/ENGINEERINFO/bldg permit policy

And by the way, we're on almost 3 acres and set back in the woods so we probably could make something without a permit but 1. I want to follow the rules cause I'm weird like that and 2. There's a street behind us and neighbors literally a stones throw away and we're also in a condo development, despite not being a part of them, so we have neighbors from both extremely close SO. Despite being allowed to farm, thanks to the bylaw, I don't want to get in trouble just because we didn't get a permit, you know?

So do you think we need one? And if so, how long does this take? Because if it takes months then that's annoying :/ Would it be faster to go to town hall you think?

And as for the coop, I think I've posted plans somewhere here before so if you really wanted to you could find them but basically it's just a 4 x 8 with either just 4 foot walls or higher, and then roosts on one side and nest boxes on the other side but exterior. There's probably going to be 4 nest boxes, 1 sq. ft. each. And then a chicken door going into the run. Haven't established a roof yet but probably angled and lots of vents.

And sorry, I'm realizing this really probably is better for the other thread but feel free to move it.

 

[PapaChaz]

Personally, I would consider it to be a shed in the 'less than 200 sq ft' category that looks like it would require the 'zoning' permit.

Are you building it yourself? if so, you'd fill out the 'pulled by homeowner' permit section. you'll apparently have to have 2 copies of your 'site' showing where you're going to be putting the coop and run.

that's what I got from a quick scan of the links you provided. To be sure, why not just call and ask which category you fall in?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Personally, I would consider it to be a shed in the 'less than 200 sq ft' category that looks like it would require the 'zoning' permit.

Are you building it yourself? if so, you'd fill out the 'pulled by homeowner' permit section. you'll apparently have to have 2 copies of your 'site' showing where you're going to be putting the coop and run.

that's what I got from a quick scan of the links you provided. To be sure, why not just call and ask which category you fall in?

Thanks for the help

That's sort of what I thought too but wasn't sure. But yeah, we'd be building it ourselves.

I think you're right though - I should probably just call or go down there and ask

Although another quick question I thought of: Do you think the site is like pictures of where you're going to put it? Or like a drawing?

 

[PapaChaz]

Thanks for the help

That's sort of what I thought too but wasn't sure. But yeah, we'd be building it ourselves.

I think you're right though - I should probably just call or go down there and ask

Although another quick question I thought of: Do you think the site is like pictures of where you're going to put it? Or like a drawing?

for the site plan, I would pull up your place on google earth and print the picture. Then draw in where you're going to put the coop and run. I would go out of my way to make it look as neat as possible, here in our county we need to make these idi.....people at least THINK we're smart enough to know what we're doing.....HAHA.

google earth and google maps are both free downloads, just type in your address and poof, you'll be looking at an aerial photo of your property. You can actually click the button that looks like clock on the tool bar at the top and scroll the timeline as far back as 1993. pretty cool if you haven't lived there that long to see what it might have looked like in times past

 

[ShrekDawg]

for the site plan, I would pull up your place on google earth and print the picture. Then draw in where you're going to put the coop and run. I would go out of my way to make it look as neat as possible, here in our county we need to make these idi.....people at least THINK we're smart enough to know what we're doing.....HAHA.

google earth and google maps are both free downloads, just type in your address and poof, you'll be looking at an aerial photo of your property. You can actually click the button that looks like clock on the tool bar at the top and scroll the timeline as far back as 1993. pretty cool if you haven't lived there that long to see what it might have looked like in times past

Ooohhh that's a good idea!!! Thanks!! I hadn't even thought of google earth haha I've used it before but not in a while. I'll have to do that!!

And that's pretty cool too I wonder if they've taken a new picture of our house recently haha

 

[SuperK]

Looks like the type you want to build would be classified under 200 sq ft and while no building permit will be necessary, a zoning permit will. I am looking to start a hobby farm when JoAnn and I retire next year and move out to Hawaii and their building department requires a permit to change out even the electric outlets! It is so frustrating that so few in power seem to want to get the most of their 15 minutes of fame while in office. I guess this is still The land of the free as long as you have the proper permits.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Looks like the type you want to build would be classified under 200 sq ft and while no building permit will be necessary, a zoning permit will. I am looking to start a hobby farm when JoAnn and I retire next year and move out to Hawaii and their building department requires a permit to change out even the electric outlets! It is so frustrating that so few in power seem to want to get the most of their 15 minutes of fame while in office. I guess this is still The land of the free as long as you have the proper permits.

Thanks! I'm curious though, and maybe this is a stupid question, but what's the main difference and is the zoning one easier to get? But really!? Wow, that's ridiculous!! I've heard horror stories of housing association's (HOA's) but I've never heard any of the actual laws, though it wouldn't surprise me. That's just crazy though :/

 

[PapaChaz]

how in the world would they possibly know you changed an electrical outlet? unless you have to have the permit to BUY them......

 

[Hokum Coco]

Anyways, do you think I would need a permit to build my chicken coop???

I would think twice before you take any advise off this form in this particular situation. Not that anyone would delibertly want to cause you heartache.

The problem arises with different municipalities have different covenants written into their by laws. In my area most all structures that do NOT have a concrete foundation and can easily be moved do not require a building permit example prefab sheds delivered assembled off site.. Not so in just neigbouring communities.

Then again it is my experience best to ask for forgiveness than permission your neighbours being the deciding factor there.

how in the world would they possibly know you changed an electrical outlet? unless you have to have the permit to BUY them...... In my municipality it requires that all electrical fixtures be installed by a certified electrician. Then again it is a by law with no teeth and impossible to enforce just like you have mentioned.

You can well bet insurance companies have disallowed claims because this legislation is on the books once the cause of a fire is determined.

 

[TalkALittle]

Read your town bylaws and zoning laws carefully. The Right to Farm Law doesn't supersede a town's zoning laws. Keeping poultry and other livestock my be limited by your lot size or which zone your property lies in.

Additionally, many towns have regulations for keeping animals. For instance, I need a yearly permit to have chickens. My coop and run are subject to a Board of Health inspection prior to issuance of said permit. This is in addition to any building permits required for the construction of the coop. The requirements for placement of a coop is different than that of a shed. Even if my coop is a shed. The regulations also describe how food is to be stored and manure managed. In my town the fine for keeping chickens without a permit is $100 plus $100 each day thereafter. It is also a fine of up to $100 for each violation of the regulations, at the discretion of the inspector.

I do not live in an urban setting.
ETA, Like the OP, I too live in Massachusetts.