- May 9, 2012
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My neighbor called the code officer on me yesterday
I'm building just the cutest little coop in the world for my six chicks, and I thought I was in compliance with our local ordinance in Mendon, NY. We are allowed six chickens, no roosters, as long as they are housed 100ft from all property lines. It turns out I'm 20ft short on all sides and there is no place to move the coop to comply. So, I'm going to have to have a public hearing to request a variance--which the neighbor said he will fight.
I received an email from the neighbor today, stating his explicit concerns. I'll be going over to talk to him tonight and would like to be able to refute his arguments with evidence. Help show me the way!
His arguments:
1.) My chickens will draw predators and therefore disease to our neighborhood, and that puts his cats at risk.
2.) Chickens, even just the perception of chickens, will decrease property value.
His arguments 3 & 4 are hard to refute. 3-He doesn't like the concept of zoning variance in general. 4-He has hated chickens ever since being pecked horribly as a teen.
Can anyone help point me to the most successful defenses against these lines of thinking?
thanks so much!!!
jessa
I'm building just the cutest little coop in the world for my six chicks, and I thought I was in compliance with our local ordinance in Mendon, NY. We are allowed six chickens, no roosters, as long as they are housed 100ft from all property lines. It turns out I'm 20ft short on all sides and there is no place to move the coop to comply. So, I'm going to have to have a public hearing to request a variance--which the neighbor said he will fight.
I received an email from the neighbor today, stating his explicit concerns. I'll be going over to talk to him tonight and would like to be able to refute his arguments with evidence. Help show me the way!
His arguments:
1.) My chickens will draw predators and therefore disease to our neighborhood, and that puts his cats at risk.
2.) Chickens, even just the perception of chickens, will decrease property value.
His arguments 3 & 4 are hard to refute. 3-He doesn't like the concept of zoning variance in general. 4-He has hated chickens ever since being pecked horribly as a teen.
Can anyone help point me to the most successful defenses against these lines of thinking?
thanks so much!!!
jessa