Help me understand the local ordinences can't get ahold of anyone

[TyrannosaurusChix]

it all goes on where you are located, and if it is zoned agricultural or residential.

The other guidelines are for commercial zones i believe.


This would be helpful: residential district regulations (see BMCC section 27-305) which you did not post.


over all i think you need to tell us

if you rent or own

your lot size( acres)

if you have direct neighbors, and how far away they are from you .

What your plot is zoned as.



if you are in the city limits, im just going to assume you dont have acreage. I think you maybe need to refer to that section i listed above?


Good luck!

 

[Mrsfoote]

03-0927-03-4-38-05-0000 Tax ID: A01530
Prop Type: RU - Residential Urban
Subdivision: BILLINGS ORIGINAL TOWNSITE 613
Block: 211 Lot: 013
County Legal:
BILLINGS ORIGINAL TOWNSITE 613, S03, T01 S, R26 E, BLOCK 211, Lot 013 - 014

So which part would be my zone ??

 

[elmo]

Quote:
I've been trying to access the Billings code online directly since the formatting of the ordinance makes it even more difficult to understand, but I keep losing my internet connection (grrr, we're having a storm here). I'll keep trying to check when my internet connection gets reliable again. Do look at the definition of livestock in 27-201. If as written it doesn't include chickens, you may have a loophole.

In the meantime, the best department to contact on something like this would be either the Billings Code Enforcement department (not Animal Control), or the City Attorney.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Does this help? I have not actually read it, just added formatting, spacing and indentation. IT all falls apart at the end...there appear to be missing paragraphs. And there are numerous references to other code sections that would have to be checked.


Sec. 27-607. Livestock and fowl.

Livestock, as defined in BMCC section 27-201, shall not be maintained in any zoning district located within the limits of the city (see also BMCC sections 4-501 through 4-505). However, horses may be permitted in the city when located within a planned development, as described in section 27-1303, that is specifically designed to accomodate horses and/or equestrian centers.

Areas located outside the limits of the city, but within certain agricultural or residential zoning districts, as shown in the residential district regulations (see BMCC section 27-305), shall be permitted to maintain livestock and/or fowl.

In addition, livestock and/or fowl may be permitted as part of a planned development, as described in section 27-1303, and are also exempt from the following animal unit standards, unless specifically referenced within the Planned Development Agreement. However, the standards outlined below must be satisfied, depending upon the size of the property.

The allowance of livestock and/or fowl in commercial or industrial zoning districts, situated outside the limits of the City of Billings, may be permitted when the regulations established in below subsection (b) are met, regardless of the lot size. However, if the number of animals requested exceeds the allowed limit in below subsection (b), then the property must conform to the uses allowed by right or through special review, as shown in the commercial/industrial district regulations matrix in BMCC section 27-306.


(a) Lots which are 2.5 net acres or less in size are allowed to have livestock and/or fowl provided that all of the following regulations are satisfied.

(1) One (1) livestock and/or fowl unit is allowed per twenty thousand (20,000) square feet of land devoted exclusively to the raising of the animal(s). Livestock or fowl that are listed in the livestock and/or fowl unit table(s) below are allowed types of animals under this subsection, with the exception of bison.

(2) Supplemental feeding of the animal(s) is required.

(3) Any keeping of animal(s) in this section shall be secondary and accessory to the primary residential use of the property. Commercial breeding and/or commercial raising of any type of animal or fowl shall be prohibited, except as allowed by right or through special review in the residential district regulations matrix located in BMCC section 27-305.

(4) In addition to the above regulations, project animal(s), as defined in BMCC section 27-201, are allowed, but shall be limited to one (1) livestock or fowl unit (as defined below) per youth actively enrolled in F.F.A., 4-H or other similar types of programs. In addition, project animals are required to be supplementally fed and shall only be allowed to remain on the property for no more than six (6) months during any twelve (12) month period. Breeding projects shall be exempt from the above time limit.

(5) All accessory structures used for the purpose of housing, keeping or sheltering livestock or fowl shall be setback a distance of fifty (50) feet from any property line and fifty (50) feet from any dwelling.

(6) No accessory building or structure used for the housing of livestock or fowl shall occupy any portion of a required front yard in any district, except in the agricultural-open space (A-1) zoning district. See BMCC section 27-310, for the allowed maximum size of detached accessory structures.


(b) Lots which are 2.51 to 9.99 net acres in size are allowed to have livestock and/or fowl provided that all of the following regulations are met.

(1) One (1) livestock and/or fowl unit per one (1) acre of land devoted exclusively to the raising of the animal(s), in which the animal(s) is supplementally fed and/or is on irrigated pasture land.

(2) One (1) livestock and/or fowl unit per four (4) acres of land devoted exclusively to the raising of the animal(s), in which there is no supplemental feeding and/or the animal is on unirrigated pasture land.

(3) In addition to the above regulations, project animal(s), as defined in BMCC section 27-201, are allowed, but shall be limited to one (1) livestock or fowl unit (as defined below) per youth actively enrolled in F.F.A., 4-H or other similar types of programs. In addition, project animals are required to be supplementally fed and shall only be allowed to remain on the property for no more than six (6) months during any twelve (12) month period. Breeding projects shall be exempt from the above time limit.

(4) All accessory structures used for the purpose of housing, keeping or sheltering livestock or fowl shall be setback a distance of one-hundred (100) feet from any property line and fifty (50) feet from any dwelling.

(5) No accessory building or structure used for the housing of livestock or fowl shall occupy any portion of a required front yard in any district, except in the agricultural-open space (A-1) zoning district. See BMCC section 27-310, for the allowed maximum size of detached accessory structures.


(c) Lots which are greater than 9.99 net acres shall be exempt from this section.


(d) Livestock and fowl units, for the purpose of this section, shall be defined as follows:

Fowl Class Fowl Units

Hens, roosters or ducks .25 each

Turkeys or geese .50 eac



Article 23-200 ...

c) the raising of livestock, bees, fur-bearing animals, or poultry; and

(d) any practices, including forestry or lumbering operations...includes a horticultural, viticultural, dairy, livestock, poultry, bee, other farm or garden product, fish or fishery product...

27-200 dairying, pasturage agriculture, grazing land, animal and poultry husbandry, horticulture, floriculture, viticulture, including...

Fowl shall include chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys and other poultry.

Lot: A tract of land, no matter how legally described...

[Find more like this document] [Refine search by 27-300A A 021 Livestock, except dairy and poultry SR 07 Agricultural Services (except below...

2013 Meat products SR A 2015 Poultry slaughtering and processing plants SR ...

[Find more like this document] [Refine

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
I've been trying to access the Billings code online directly since the formatting of the ordinance makes it even more difficult to understand, but I keep losing my internet connection (grrr, we're having a storm here). I'll keep trying to check when my internet connection gets reliable again. Do look at the definition of livestock in 27-201. If as written it doesn't include chickens, you may have a loophole.

In the meantime, the best department to contact on something like this would be either the Billings Code Enforcement department (not Animal Control), or the City Attorney.

My last post may have come just in time

It looks like fowl are defines separately from livestock as they continually refer to each of them.

Actually they define them together :

Livestock and fowl: Livestock shall include all animals of the equine, bovine and swine class, including goats, sheep, mules, horses, hogs, cattle and other grazing animals. Fowl shall include chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys and other poultry. excerpt from 27-201​

 

[Mrsfoote]

Thank you so much after 2 hours of being paranoid I read the cities definition of livestock is all grazing animals chickens are listed under the catagory of fowl so If I'm understanding this correct I'm allowed up to 4 chickens no roosters within city limits correct???

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Maybe? There is certainly grounds to make a case for it based upon the definiton of "small animal." I never could figure out your zoning.

 

[Mrsfoote]

I couldn't figure it out either so I'm not really going to worry about it our house sits on two lots and the code says houses under 20,000sq ft im assuming can own up to 1 unit of fowl which is 4 chickens soo whatever...just wanted to clarify incase I had any problems

 

[Mrsfoote]

I live in the city county zoning jurisdiction does that mean I'm a Agricultural Suburban area....if so I'm allowed to keep poultry heres the map and I'm in R26 E and T 1 s

http://mt-billings.civicplus.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1285

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Actually, as I read the ordinance, the way they wrote it means that there are no restrictions whatsoever on chickens within the city limits of Billings. They outlawed livestock in Billings, not fowl. If there isn't a law against it, it's legal!

They did put restrictions on keeping poultry outside the city limits, though. Isn't that crazy?

The allowance of livestock and/or fowl in commercial or industrial zoning districts, situated outside the limits of the City of Billings, may be permitted when the regulations established in below subsection (b) are met....

I'm pretty sure that's not what they really meant to do; the lawyers who wrote this were just poor drafters. If I were you, and if it's possible to do this, I'd try to satisfy the poultry requirements set forth for property outside the city limits (e.g., the one "fowl unit" per 20,000 square feet of land, putting your coop 50 feet from the property line, etc.). You should then be entirely safe from the chicken police!​