HELP NEEDED ~ challenge to relax our Ordinance FOUNTAIN COLORADO

[divelli]

Hello everybody!

Yes, I am taking on the challenge to relax the Ordinance in our City of Fountain Colorado. Currently, no poultry is allowed (nor rabbits)
within the City limits, where we reside. Fountain has always advertised itself as being a country town and the logo for our neighborhood even
has a rooster! Our Ordinances appear to be very outdated and I think with a little help, I can convince Fountain's City Council to relax the
Ordinance and be a better, healthier and sustainable city.

What thoughts, ideas and suggestions do you have and what has been a good strategie which helped you?

My five girls are currently illegal residents but Code Enforcement has been great working with me after I advised that I would take my
issue in front of City Council on January 11, 2011.

Thank you so much

Elli

 

[Chickenkate17]

Unfortunately, I can't really help you with any strategies. But of course highlight all the positives of having city chickens and, of course, in residential areas and other places restrictions would apply (e.i., no roosters or a number limit), but just present a realistic case that can be agreed upon by both sides of the issue. It always helps to have local, well-known supporters who can talk or give "testimony" too. When I went to the Board of Supervisors to push a spay/neuter ordinance I made a poster w/ pictures to show the Board...just an idea...

Now I have a question for you: How did you get this far in your fight for city chickens? What's the first step in the process??? I would like to attempt a grassroots movement to loosen the restrictions in my city, or at least make exceptions somewhat easy to obtain.

Good luck, and Thanks!!

 

[PineappleMama]

Quote:
Sounds like false advertising to me... and isn't that a major no no?

I'd start going around to neighbors, start a FB maybe, etc to see what kind of support might be out there. If you're the only one in the entire town who wants birds then you'll prolly be out of luck, aren't likely to change the laws for all just so one can have a thing.

BUT if you find you've got several... many... that either want birds, or at the least aren't in the least bothered by a neighbor having them then you will have those names (perhaps in a petition?) to take to your city counsel (or however your town's government works).

Also, do research... what WERE the laws... 5 years back, 10, 20... what about neighboring towns... same state? Some states have Right to Farm acts, donno about yours but it's something to snoop on. Your local Ag Extension office might be able to help there.

Do your research and then start talking to your fellow citizens and then see about opening the door. Come prepared, with facts, the town's, the people's wants, local laws nearby, and REAL chicken knowledge NOT rumor or myth... maybe even make a flyer of info like that for those neighbors you'll talk to... educate them, don't let ignorance rule... then when you've got yourself good and armed, with a bevy of supporters... THEN you take on city hall.

Them's my two (hundred) cents... *passes salt*

 

[Chickenkate17]

Thank you!!

 

[kla37]

Contact that Chicken Whisperer guy. He does a lot of this kind of stuff!

 

[valereee]

Here's a document we used to convince our city to change our ordinances:

Chickens for Montgomery

 

[wilkey44]

as with anything the more people the better you go in just yourself or even just a couple of people and ask there is a good chance nothing will change go in with 100 people all wanting the same thing good chance it will change. Put a letter up in your local feed store asking people to call the city councel to change the rules and a petition asking for a vote on a rule change and the more people on the petition the better that is the best place to start

 

[divelli]

Hello Chicken Fans,

so we indeed tackeled our issue on 1-1-11 in front of our City Council. We wrote a great research paper and put a very nice folder together for all Council members, the City Attorney and the Zoning and Planning Director, who were all present at the CC meeting. We had 15 minutes during which we presented our speech (send me a PM if you would like a copy of our presentation) and it turned out very well. Some of the counil members had questions in re. predators, burning chicken coops etc but the majority aggreed to bring it to the Zoning and Planning Meeting for further discussion.

You have to know that in Fountain, the issue about chickens causes a lot of heartburn for some folks... in 1994, the issue was brought in front of CC and almost ended in a fist fight. We were very respectful and presented our side very polite. We even brought up the problems which came up in 1994 and informed CC that we think that the issues from 1994 are outdated and CC was not informed correctly. So, we are waiting to meet with the Zoning and Planning Department and bring our suggestions.

Here was our strategie:

First, we contacted our CC and put our issue on the agenda. We then contacted 5 counties/ cities in Colorado where chickens are allowed and spoke to their Humane Society/ Animal Control office. We asked them to fax/ email us a statistic about their chicken complaint, where were pretty much ZERO! We put that together in a nice folder and also printed out and added following two (nicely done) research papers:

http://media.timesfreepress.com/docs/2009/01/Ordinance_research_paper.pdf

http://jkheneghan.com/city/meetings...ackyard Chicken Keeping - Myths and Facts.pdf

Also, get to know your current ordinance, know what you would like to address/ change/ relax

We also had a lof of friends and family members attend and we had contacted several friends in Fountain who also attended (2 got up after our speech and addressed CC and said that they are in favor to change the ordinance, too)
After our speech, our supporters collectively got up and walked out of the meeting room, to show that they were there for our issue and only our issue.

So far, we are prepared to address issues which might come up in the Zoning/ Planning department. We are ready to suggest and address their concerns and show how other cities address concerns... We will also suggest
a one year trial base (which the City of Longmont had done successfully) if our CC has any hesitation or concerns.

I would be happy to share our research we conducted, just send me a PM with your email address!

Elli

@ Pineapple Mama... yes, I agree with you about the false advertisment

 

[Junkmanme]

A little over 30 years ago, while I was serving on the Planning (& Zoning) Commission of a fast-growing Colorado City, the subject of an Animal Control Ordinance came up for study and recommendations to the City Council.

After much study and debate over a few months time, our recommendation to the council was essentially that the property owner must confine ALL IMPACT of keeping animals to their own property.

At first, the idea was to prohibit certain animals...that suggestion proved to be extremely "wieldy" and subject to much "personal preference".

Another proposal had been to limit animals to two animals per property, with no prohibition of any particular animals. That suggestion was "dumped" when it was pointed-out that such a recommendation would allow each homeowner to have 2 elephants.

The entire process proved to be an exercise in "idiocy"....and was essentially a question of: "What animals do I like and dislike.....and which neighbors do I like and dislike ?"

It was a REAL "barrel of worms" !!! (The ultimate ordinance didn't mention worms, as I recall.)

Ha-Ha !!!
-Junkmanme-

 

[divelli]

Oh wow Junkmanme, that is really interesting!I will send you a PM later on tonight

It seems like everybody was stepping on their own toes