Frustrated with my city

[Titus2Woman]

So, I called a week ago and the lady in the building department said "yes" I could have chickens. When I was talking to the commissioner today about my fence issues I asked to clarify some code with him about the chickens and apparently my city has two ordinances that conflict. One says I can own chickens if they are contained in my yard and not left to roam into neighbors and don't break noise ordinances (ie no roosters) the next one says that I can't own anything that belongs in a zoo or farm... I asked him what the city's final standpoint was and he said "I don't have one" So, now what? Do I spend the time and energy and hope none of the neighbors complain or do I stop. I am afraid to ask the neighbors for fear of drawing attention where it does not need to be drawn!

 

[HEChicken]

If chickens are specifically addressed (i.e. your first ordinance) whereas the second ordinance is more generalized ("farm animals"), then I would expect the first to be the ordinance that would be upheld. The writers of the second ordinance may have been thinking pigs & cattle rather than poultry when they wrote "farm animals".

It wouldn't hurt to get the blessing of your neighbors (preferably in writing) since most problems occur when a complaint is made. I.e., even when chickens are completely illegal, the city will turn a blind eye until there is a complaint. And, I'd recommend printing out the ordinance that DOES allow them to have on hand just in case you have a visit from a city enforcement officer.

 

[Endur50]

We recently purchased property just outside of Cleveland. This area also has conflicting ordinances, and it was a concern of ours as well. The property is 12 acres, so hopefully no one will bother us over our few chickens in the middle of the property. I feel like as backyard gardening/farming becomes more and more mainstream, the likelihood of laws in favor of chicken keeping will be clarified. Wouldn't it be beneficial if the law makers themselves were the ones wanting to keep chickens. Someone at work said to me the other day that chicken keeping is like "this secret underground club". We were sitting together when, at separate times, two different people came up to me to talk chickens. She then got on the phone with her hubby and was saying "I told you chicken keeping was totally normal!" I think the more people that keep chickens, the more likely the laws are going to reflect that preference. Forge on chicken soldier!

 

[Titus2Woman]

I think I was more annoyed at the city official when he told me of one person who was raising them for meat and he did not understand it when there is 3 grocery stores down the road. He said "there is no need for that these days" then I started to mention the antibiotics, etc and he cut me off and said "I know, believe me I know"...

My one neighbor directly next to me used to live on a chicken farm. I also plan to put a privacy fence up across the back of the yard so that will make it so a whole set of neighbors will not even know about it. I will have to be extra vigilant of smells and start bribing with eggs!

For reference the two ordinances are:

(a) No person who is the owner or keeper of cattle, sheep, geese, ducks, turkeys, chickens or other fowl or animals shall permit them to run at large upon any public place, or upon any unenclosed lands, or upon the premises of another.

and

DANGEROUS, WILD AND UNDOMESTICATED ANIMALS, INSECTS, OR PETS PROHIBITED.
(a) No person shall harbor, maintain, or control a wild, dangerous or undomesticated animal, insect, or groups of insects within the City.


(b) A wild, dangerous or undomesticated animal is an animal that is not an ordinary household pet and that would be ordinarily confined to a zoo, farm or the wilderness, or that otherwise causes fear or offensive odors or noises to the general public.

 

[stone_family3]

I am also in Ohio, Franklin county, man they can be pains. I would honestly make it secure, write out a plan (just in case the city comes by) of how you care for them and how you plan on disposing of the waste, and keep it quiet.

As long as no one complains you should be fine. Good luck.

 

[HEChicken]

Well there ya go! A chicken is not wild, dangerous or undomesticated, therefore that law does not apply and all you have to worry about is the first one, which specifically permits chickens as long as they don't run at large.

 

[Endur50]

Yea that really would have annoyed me too. People need to get over thinking that raising your own food is "hick" and "bumpkin" and that classy people just buy from the grocery store. The property we bought has a new snooty gated community that backs up to it. I have no problem with that, except that they have complained about my future neighbor's horses many times, even though she is completely legal in having them on her property, and is vigilant about manure management. It seems as though people want to move to the country, but when they get there, want to change it to suit them. Luckily it's just our back pasture that touches, but my first plan of action is to plant some of those fast growing evergreen trees right along the border of the property.

Reading the ordinances, you can argue that chickens are no longer normally kept just on a farm and cite that fact that NYC allows chickens. http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-n...ard-chicken-keeping-booming-in-new-york-city/

 

[Danaus29]

Endur50, you shouldn't have too many problems with your chickens. State law allows agriculture and animals on properties of more than 5 acres.

But then just because the state allows it doesn't mean the city and other local entities won't try to fight you. The Ohio Farm Bureau just finished up a case in which the property owner had a winery using imported and their own grapes. It had to go all the way to the state supreme court before the local entities backed off. State law allowed the winery, the local entities didn't want it even though the owners had more than an acre and the proper permits. You can read the article on the Ohio Farm Bureau website. It's in the latest newsletter.

 

[rgfairey]

Just cuz someone used to live on a chicken farm, doesn't mean they won't protest your having chickens next door! My mom raised chickens during the depression and she HATED anything to do with them.

 

[Titus2Woman]

Quote:
Well, SHE told me she would not mind it because she had lived on one. She just did not want Roos or to see any slaughtering.