Fairfax County, VA

[MeJessie7979]

From the Facebook group:



As stated in previous posts, a few of us held a meeting on Saturday February 16th to discuss our path ahead to lessening the restriction on keeping chickens in Fairfax. Since then the 4 of us have been working diligently to complete some of the preliminary leg work. Now it is time for us all to join the fight. Between now and March 6th, we need to accomplish a few major tasks. 1. We need to identify the names and district locations of all of our members. This will be accomplished using a form I will post shortly. The information will be loaded onto a map which will show the density of support in each area of the county, and compiled into a list of supporters and presented as evidence to the Board of Supervisors along with our recommendations. 2. We need to identify one or more volunteers from our 9 districts that are willing to act as district coordinators. These individuals will need to be willing to take on the burden of leadership for a few weeks (9 April) coordinating recruitment and Board of Supervisors Contact efforts within their district. 3. We need people that are computer savvy to help develop web content and power point graphics to support recruitment and our presentations to the Board of Supervisors. Please email [email protected] if you would like to volunteer.


If you are really serious about changing the laws regarding owning chickens in Fairfax, now is the time to help us out!

There is public meeting being held on March 6th regarding reducing the special permit fee to own chickens, which is why we are tying to get as much done before March 6th as possible.

 

[leenie]

Chickens will be discussed Wednesday night, March 6th.

Planning Commission meeting testimony options


Mon Mar 4, 2013 10:03 am (PST) .


The Planning Commission meeting is Wednesday, March 6th at 8:15 pm at
the Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA
22030. Consider testifying or submitting a written opinion.
To testify on a specific matter scheduled for public hearing, you may:
1) fill out the on-line form at
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning/speaker.htm before 3:00 p.m. on
the day of the scheduled hearing; 2) call the Planning Commission Office
at 703-324-2865 before 3:00 p.m. on the day of the scheduled hearing; or
3) sign up prior to the start of the public hearing with the Commission
Clerk by writing your name and address on the notepad located at the
left end of the dais in the Board Auditorium. After all previously
listed speakers have finished their testimony, you will be called upon
by the Commission Chairman in order of the evening registrations.
If you have signed up to testify in advance and represent yourself, you
will be allowed five (5) minutes to speak. If you represent an organized
group or a civic, citizens, or homeowner's association, you may take up
to ten (10) minutes to speak. If you have not signed up before 3:00 p.m.
on the day of the scheduled hearing, you will be allowed three minutes
to speak.

 

[MeJessie7979]

Due to snow, this meeting has been rescheduled for March 27.

 

[MD MPH]

I went to the Planning Commission Agenda website--this topic is NOT on the agenda. I couldn't even find it on the agenda for the cancelled March 6 meeting. Does anyone know about this and what is going on?

 

[MeJessie7979]

It doesn't specifically mention chickens, it's to reduce the fee for non-traditional pets, which is how chickens are categorized. We are trying to get the fee reduced and then hopefully eliminated. One step at a time. Right now if you appeal the zoning board to own chickens the fee is $910, so we are trying get this special permit fee reduced and that's what the meeting on the 27th is about.

 

[MeJessie7979]

If you would like to help make chickens legal here is a petition you can sign:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/chickens-for-fairfax-county-virginia.html

 

[rmstone]

Does anybody know what happened with this??!!

 

[MeJessie7979]

I was at the meeting on Wednesday to reduce the special permit fee for animals, which includes chickens. A few of us from the Chickens for Fairfax group spoke to the board. The board decided to leave the issue open for comments until April 3rd. Comments should be sent to [email protected] with subject line Zoning Ordinance Amendment: Special Permit Fee Reduction. The idea is that if enough comments are sent in and we can get enough signatures on the petition (see link above) they will throw the issue back to the committee who can then suggest NO FEE for owning chickens. So, if you are serious about owning chickens, PLEASE send your comments to the board by April 3rd!

 

[leenie]

Is it still helpful to have folks sign the petition at this point?
"http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/chickens-for-fairfax-county-virginia.html

 

[MeJessie7979]

Yes! We are still collecting signatures, so please still sign it!