Got letter from Town to remove my chickens from my property

[sevenrays]

Hello everyone,
I am new to this forum and need help.
For almost 2 years I have had chickens and 1.5 years I have a couple of ducks. Today I received a letter from the Town of Gilbert in AZ that I need to remove them from my property. My lot is over 8000 sq ft therefor I believed I could have up to 25 fowl on my property (according to their codes). However in this letter it states I am located in a SF-6 zone. On the one hand cats are considered "free range" and the Town of Gilbert has no control of them. Yet one is not aloud to have free-range chickens HMMMM.

Please if anyone can help me, I feel it is time for local Gilbert back-yard chicken lovers to unite and change town codes. Any help on legal rights I have is very much appreciated. I have two weeks to before my chickens have to go. PLEASE HELP They are my pets and I love them like all my other pets.

Thank you,
sevenrays

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

So the issue is that they are "free ranged"? Why not just build them a covered run instead?

 

[Annielow]

Perhaps if you only kept hens not roosters? Have you appealed to them? Maybe the ducks are noisy? I know ducks can be real pain and they quack very loudly. Hope all goes well for you, sure hate to get rid of the brood

 

[sevenrays]

No, it's not because they are free ranged, I have a coop and pen area and let them out for a couple of hours a day for weed control It's a Gilbert zoning issue as far as I figured out.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Well dang, that really sucks....I'm sorry.

 

[sevenrays]

Annielow, yes the rooster was suppose to be a hen and he will need to go, but the girls are quieter than the neighbor dogs. Yes the one duck is noisy when she gets hungry and quiets down once fed, The drake is quiet so are the 3 Moskovie Ducks (quackless ducks). I love my brood and they are part of the family.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Sounds like it's time to start a petition.....

 

[sevenrays]

Cloverleaf Farm,
Yes a petition, that is what I feel is necessary. The ordinance and codes need to be adjusted. For right now I may have found a loop hole. I need to find out if I can establish an urban farm in this zone and claim I am growing and raising food for the market. I have started a Moringa tree farm and want to grow more fruit and vegies as well. Since there clause states One cannot raise animals for non-commercial uses (which really has to change) but it sounds like it will be ok if it's for making profit on them (selling eggs at farmers market etc.). This is new territory for me so I am just putting out some thoughts.
Would be great to know if there are some local people with the knowledge of urban farms and zoning/code requirements.

thanks for responding,
sevenrays

 

[groundpecker]

A lawyer may be your best bet at this time. It may be expensive, but usually they can find/exploit any loophole and could help you get a license for an urban farm.

 

[sevenrays]

Thank you for your idea, however I am on food-stamps and for health reasons I need my clean healthy chicken eggs (my main source of protein), which is cheeper than buying range free organic ones from the store. I do not have any funds to get a lawyer involved I have been step by step trying to become more food self sustainable so I can get off of the food stamps. Taking my brood away not only will hurt emotionally but financially as well.