Fairview, TN chicken laws

[ATRoos314]

Hi! New to BYC and new to Fairview. We moved to TN from Iowa, and when we were house hunting, we made sure to check chicken ordinances because we knew we wanted backyard chickens. There seems to be quite a bit of confusion about the current laws regarding chickens in Fairview city limits on the internet, so I thought I would share the most recent information that I have after contacting City Hall to make it easier for other people to find the information. It is true that as recently as 2013, backyard chickens were not allowed within Fairview city limits. In September 2020, when we were house hunting, we found the house we liked here and called city hall because we couldn't find anything in their city ordinances and zoning information that spoke at all about backyard chickens on residential property. At that time we were told that the ordinance was that within city limits you could have up to 5 hens for every 1/2 acre within city limits (we even gave them our exact address to make double sure we were allowed because we wouldn't have bought this house if we couldn't have chickens). We were cool with that. We moved in November. It is now February and we have our coop nearly complete and were set to purchase 5 female chicks. I wanted to be just extra sure we were allowed because after speaking with some other people who live here, they were all under the impression that either chickens just were banned completely or that they were banned on properties less than one acre. We scoured the local zoning and ordinances online and could not find one single ordinance or law prohibiting backyard chickens. We called city hall again and explained and they said there is no longer any ordinance on chickens. The previous law that had been on the books expired and was not renewed. Therefore, the current law (As of January 2021) is that there is no limit or restriction on backyard chickens by law in Fairview, TN. except that which apply to any pet, such as cats or dogs. If you have chickens you are to take care of them, feed them, not neglect them, and they may not become a nuisance (so no roosters), but there is no restriction on the number or anything that says they must be contained in any particular way. This explains why I couldn't find anything written in the laws, because there aren't any!! I hope that helps anyone searching for this information! Since learning this new information, we went ahead and ordered ourselves 10 chickens since we made our coop much larger than we needed for the 5 we thought we were going to get. They should arrive this Thursday and we are SOOOO excited! I can't wait to train them to be cuddly! We will be crazy chicken people

 

[jakedaniel]

My advice to you is this. Keep checking back with the City periodically because they’re bound to vote on some restrictions at some point, and unless you check every now and then, you’re probably not going to know about any changes until Code Enforcement is at your door. Your coop is in while still legal, so IF the City votes in some new restrictions, you’d be “grandfathered” but it’s a lot easier to prove you had the coop beforehand right after the law is changed and get it in writing from them that you’re grandfathered than wait a few years after some new ordinance was passed you didn’t know about and now Code Enforcement is at your door and you tell them your coop was in back when it was legal and they say “Prove it.” Just a piece of advice. Good luck to you!

 

[Acre4Me]

In addition to the above suggestion, you can request their current info in writing, dated signed and you keep it in your records. Also, keep your receipts from any chicks you buy, even possibly feed and bedding. The reason for that is if a future or current neighbor tries to say you are negligent or dirty then you have receipts showing your continued and routine purchase of bedding and related supplies. Keeping a record of your continued poultry ownership may be important in being grandfathered in as well. If laws change snd someone can show you did not own chickens for any period of time after the law changed, you could be out of the grandfathered clause. So, keeping records is key here.


Glad you are able to have many chickens! They are fun and so many to choose from! Enjoy your new hobby.

 

[TakeFairviewBack]

Message me on Facebook. I was the one who fought for the chickens in 2013. Leslie Street