Help direct me to changing county chicken ordinance!!!!!

[LithiaBirdman]

New to the forum so please bare with us...We live in Hillsborough county Florida (Tampa area), actually in the unincorporated area. The county ordinance does not allow chickens in any residential area....We want to change that, IMAGINE THAT. We are in for the long haul and I currently have our chickens in the garage with fans and thermometers to ensure the temperature does not rise to an uncomfortable level. Any help would be great, We dont want to recreate the wheel. Thanks for the input..

Jeff (LithiaBirdman)

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Quote:

Jeff and Lithia! So we have another garage'r in our midst!

I put in a window a/c for ours! Did you get cited?
See our progress in this thread!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=516485&p=3

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:

We are very close neighbors. Riverview here. I'm not sure what ordinance you are referring to. Even the City of Tampa allows chickens now.....if you meet the property requirement. Do you live in a subdivision?

Edited to say: I just found a statement in a TBO article that says they are illegal in unincorporated Hillsborough County. I've honestly never heard that before.

People have always had chickens around here. Have you checked your zoning? Our property was zoned dual purpose (Residential/Agriculture) when they first started developing the area.

You could always round up local chicken people and petition the county council to change it.

 

[LithiaBirdman]

Yes My Plan Is To Attempt To Change The County Ordinances...i Live In Fishhawk Ranch And All My Neighbors Are For It...seems Someone Walking By Had Issue And I Got A Letter From The Hoa...moved The Girls Into The Garage With Fans And A Thermometer To Monitor The Temp..will Move Them Back To The Porch And Disquise The Casa A Bit.

 

[donkie07]

Hi Lithiabirdman! I'm new to this site. We live in the ranch too and I want desperately to get some birds for eggs for our family. We're you able to make any progress?

 

[CherryBobbery]

I have made a reply in regards to a petition that was started but all seems to have come to naught. I have already had more than 20 people sign, only to find out the petition will go nowhere unless people are able to do what is said at the bottom of my reply over in another thread. I contacted Bonnie, the creator of the petition and I have her reply at the end of my post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/924045/hillsborough-county-florida-legalize-backyard-chickens

 

[Blooie]

Yes My Plan Is To Attempt To Change The County Ordinances...i Live In Fishhawk Ranch And All My Neighbors Are For It...seems Someone Walking By Had Issue And I Got A Letter From The Hoa...moved The Girls Into The Garage With Fans And A Thermometer To Monitor The Temp..will Move Them Back To The Porch And Disquise The Casa A Bit.

This may present a big problem for you. Even if you manage to get the ordinances changed, your HOA has the final say in what's permitted in your housing development and what isn't, regardless of whether the laws in the community allow it. I'd recommend getting out the contract you signed with the HOA and seeing what it says before you expend a lot of time, energy and money into changing the ordinance, unless you are willing to fight for others outside your HOA-governed development to own chickens.