This is the letter I plan to send to my County Commissioner. Anything to add?? (Now i just have to find some people to sign a petition to include!). *I found someones letter on here, and tweaked it.
Dear Commissioner,
We are Hernando County residents sincerely interested in living more sustainably as individuals and as a community. In this current economic climate, we believe that one way to live more sustainably is to produce a little of our own food, when possible.
Several of us have been dismayed to learn that because we live in the unincorporated residentially zoned areas of Hernando County, we cannot keep hens as pets in our backyards. Many areas of Hernando county, and nearby metropolitan areas including the Tampa, St Petersburg and Orlando areas do allow chicken-keeping for their residents. Across the nation, many cities and suburbs are revising their laws to allow a few chickens.
o Chickens and other fowl are defined in the Zoning for the Agricultural/Residential of Hernando County, Florida as livestock.
Article IV, Section 6, B: The following regulations apply to the Country 2.5 Acre District, as indicated *excerpt:
(1) Permitted uses: The following permitted uses shall apply in the Country 2.5 District:
(c) Poultry and swine for home consumption maintained at least seventy-five (75) feet from adjacent property.
Article IV, Section 13, A: The following regulations apply to agricultural/residential districts as indicated *excerpt:
(1) Permitted uses:
(a) All agricultural/residential districts:
iii. Poultry and swine for home consumption maintained at least seventy-five (75) feet from adjacent property.
Under the residential zoning districts, Hens and poultry are prohibited to be kept as pets. But a six pound hen, unlike a pig or a cow, is not inherently a farm animal. A small backyard flock of hens should not be considered an agricultural operation, any more than keeping a couple of rabbits is. In fact, a small poultry flock is likely to create far less noise, smell, waste, and annoyance to the neighbors than an average family dog would.
Currently in the unincorporated areas of Hernando County, fowl are allowed only on lots in Rural and select Residential districts, so long as their enclosures are at least 75 feet from all property lines.
We respectfully ask that chickens and fowl be removed from the countys definition of livestock and included in the definition of household pets. We also encourage limitations on the permissions for keeping fowl, similar to those limitations outlined in the Rural and Agricultural/Residential districts.
We respectfully ask that the Board consider the following guidelines to adopt into the Hernando county ordinance as permitted uses for residential districts:
1. No roosters allowed in residential areas
2. No Guinea Fowl allowed in residential areas [they are a noisy breed]
3. Fowl cannot be kept on residential property without an overnight enclosure.
4. Enclosure must be maintained at least 75 feet from building structure, except that of the owner.
5. 5 fowl per 5,000 square feet of land, up to a maximum of 10 fowl per household
6. Backyard processing of meat fowl is prohibited.
7. Enclosure must be maintained reasonably, and offensive odors should not be detectible within 30 feet of enclosure. [This will also address any concerns about flies, as a clean enclosure will not attract any more flies than a pile of dog waste would].
8. Fowl kept as pets must not be allowed to roam freely outside of the confines of the owners property, or owner risks seizure of pets or fines. [similar to the rules applying to nuisance dogs and other pets]
9. Enclosure must be predator-proof, and must not be allowed to serve as a refuge for vermin or predators. Fines will apply to owner for violation.
We appreciate your consideration of this matter. I have provided some documentation on poultry ordinances in other nearby metropolitan areas, and answers to some frequently asked questions about pet chickens, to be used as guidelines and reference material for your consideration.
FAQ:
How can you get eggs if roosters arent allowed? Roosters are only necessary for breeding baby chicks. An average hen will produce between 5-6 eggs per week, without a rooster present. Its something that they just do anyway!
Why not just buy eggs from the store? Backyard Hens that are fed a natural diet of grass clippings, insects and grain produce richly nutritious eggs that are higher in Omega-3 fatty acids, and lower in cholesterol than factory farmed, store bought eggs.
Arent chickens really loud? Hens are generally no louder than the average wild bird, and are certainly less noisy than a barking dog. Hens sleep at night similar to wild birds, and therefore are generally quiet during the night.
So you get free eggs, what else is so great about chickens? Hens are the perfect pest control company and garbage disposal. Most people dont know that Hens love to eat all of the creepy crawlies in your yard, including mosquitoes and ants. Hens also love to dine on your dinner leftovers. Bread, salad, vegetables and more.
(Also included a list of the ordinances for TAMPA and ST PETERSBURG)
