HELP! Advice needed to keep our chicken laws!

[Sammimom]

A snooty neighboorhood in our city of Sammamish (a "bedroom community" of Seattle area's eastside, and $$$ because of Microsoft and other techincal business booms) has raised heck over a household getting a permit to have a small hobby farm (including some chickens) and starting the process(clearing land). This has become quite an uproar to the point that they agreed not to go forth with the idea (although legally they still could, they are just worried about the neighbors suing which they said they would do). Now the city is talking about "changing the laws to suit the new needs of the community."

I need some ammo, folks, to write a bang-up letter to the small local paper (which everyone reads) to help discourage our city leaders from making hasty decisions to accomodate the newer residents of the city.

Incidentally, I am one of the newer residents (only been here 10 years) and one of the reasons we moved here was because it was a small city which still had small farms in it!! We personally have three chickens, and Seattle and Portland both have excellent chicken regulations for much smaller lots then those of our city.

HELP!

 

[Judy]

I believe it is Michigan that has a "right to farm" law that overrules all this nonsense. There is just no sense in trying to prevent people from raising their own eggs, or meat, for that matter, IMHO.

I live in the country and can raise what I choose. For the last 30 years or so, til 2 or 3 years ago, I lived in a small town near here, where I could also raise what I chose. People used to have cows for milk there, and still could if they wished. I raised chickens there for a while, including roosters. My closest neighbor had quail, and I collected the poop for my compost pile. He currently has a few chickens, and is thinking about getting back into quail. I don't know of anyone who has a cow or pig in the city limits at this point, but there is a swamp in the city limits with alligators and such....

There is lots of info on this forum about these battles. Please hang in there. There is no sane reason you should not be able to keep chickens, IMHO.

 

[Rillion]

Quote:
I would definitely include both of those points in the letter.

Sorry, it's almost 2am where I'm at and the brain isn't functioning so well....I'll try and come up with some other things tomorrow!

 

[valereee]

Here's a presentation we put together for our local city council and planning commission:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/16509728/Changing-Your-Citys-Chicken-Laws

 

[Sammimom]

Thanks guys! I especially like the presentation you put together, and believe me, I will use it if need be!

 

[Mrs. Barn Builder (MBB)]

Hi Valereee,

Nice job on the presentation!

I incorporated it into my blog post; do you mind? If you do, I will certainly remove it.

How is the 'war' with the city faring?

Thanks for sharing.

MBB