Fairfax County, VA

[ImadForChickens]

Maybe we can start by setting up a future date for most of us to meet for initial discussion, share ideas
and next steps.
Depending on number of attendees we can maybe meet on a weekend at a school.
Most importantly, is to have a day that is far enough "2-3 months" a head to gather enough interest. From this site and
Our friends from FaceBook too.
Any thought on locations or dates?

 

[rmstone]

I don't do Facebook either...can we get a leader, a meeting place, some material together and move forward? Let's get this done!!

 

[rmstone]

How about the first weekend of March?? As for schools I wouldn't know what's available.

 

[MeJessie7979]

From the Facebook group:



I just spoke with Lorrie Kurst at the Zoning Commissioner's office. (The Zoning Commission is an advisory body to the County Board of Supervisors.) The staff there has been tasked with coming up with a proposal to reduce the special permit licensing fee from $910 to...something reasonable, we hope. (There are a couple of other fee reductions on the board also.) Here's how the process goes, and what we need to do. The short version is, let's be prepared to lobby our supervisors early in February to get a reasonable price for a special permit. We should also have a speaker at the subsequent public hearing.

First thing is a meeting of the Board of Supervisors that authorizes advertisement of public hearings on fee reduction. It's public in that people can attend, but you can't speak. You can only lobby your Supervisor in advance of the meeting. This is really important, because the Board is ultimately limited to action on whatever numbers come out of this meeting (if the advertised range is, say, $300-700, the Board can't choose $200. This meeting is likely to happen sometime in February. Details on each item will be on the County website about a week before the meeting. After the proposal is advertised, the Planning Commission holds a public hearing on the proposed fee reduction. At that meeting, interested parties can present their views in person. Then, the Board of Supervisors holds a meeting to make a final decision.

 

[leenie]

Even a Special permit fee of $200-300 is absurd. What we should be going for is to turn back the clock to Fxx Co's 1980's poultry regulations. I am trying to find that now.

Arlington is going all out working on changing the laws regarding raising hens. Here is their website http://arlingtoneggproject.org/

What we should be striving for is a ratio of hens to acreage. If you have 2 acres in Fxx Co you may have up to 64 birds @ 32 per acre. So some one with 1/2 acre should be able to have 16 if they desire, 1/4 acre 8 hens, etc.

Off topic. . . but we recently switched over to fermenting our feed and the minimal poop smell is almost non existent anymore, big bonus besides cutting way down on feed, but I do need to check my shoes carefully now as there is no tell tale sign anymore.

Maybe we should hook up with the Arlington crowd for some pointers.

 

[rmstone]

I completely agree for striving to amend the ratio. If hooking up with Arlington is helpful than it should be strongly considered.

***what is fermenting your feed?***

 

[leenie]

Here ya go. . . and it's a great thread started 8 months back now on page 410 .

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

It's been wonderful in every aspect. I'm happy, my hens are thrilled, no waste, less food, increased nutrient absorption, no stinky poops and the most amazingly dark orange yokes they have ever laid or I have ever seen. All just using your regular feed, adding in scratch, and fermenting with water and ACV. I'm three months into FF.

I say we hook up with the Arlington crowd as well

 

[MeJessie7979]

From the Facebook group:



Things are starting to move quickly on the reduced fee. The board of supervisors will have a preliminary meeting on this item January 15 and may make a decision in February. FYI: it's not just chickens, it is a proposed reduced fee for the keeping of any animal that is not commonly considered a pet. It would be great if people could contact their supervisor and tell their stories before that date: whether your concern is health, educating children, saving money, etc. If you don't know who your supervisor is you can find out by entering in your address at this website: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/gisapps/myneighborhood/myndefault.aspx?fxmResolution=1024x768, then click on "view full report."

 

[BillHoo]

I live in Herndon so I'm not sure if they follow the same rules, but I was very interesting in your post that the zoning representative in Vienna said you could have chickens there. Would you mind sharing the name of the person so I could use it for my peace of mind in making a coop?

I'm afraid to call and be told I can't...

The zoning rep was listed in my post. Just call them from your work phone and give them a fake name if you're concerned.

Here's his contact info again:

Clarence Goodson
Zoning Enforcement Inspector
Town of Vienna
127 Center Street, South
(703) 255-5754
[email protected]
www.vennava.gov

 

[Hillwood Farms]

I live in Falls Church City, while Im not techincally in fairfax county I would be interested in supporting the cause. I have three chickens on less than a 1/4 of an acre, live on a busy street and as far as I know the neighbors think the chickens are great. If anyone wants to see my set up all are welcome. I have a small coop and run, and free range the chickens for 2-3 hours every afternoon. I started out keeping it hidden but have since given up on it and I have had the chickens now for 5 months