HELP! University City, MO not issuing chicken permits as law states

[chixinthecity]

The city ordinance clearly states that in order to have up to 7 hens in University City, you must obtain a permit from the department of Public Works. This ordinance was first adopted in 2005, then ammended in 2006. In the latter year, they put a 1 year hold on new permits. So that should have expired in June 2007. I went to city hall last week to get the required permit and was told there was a moratoreum on new permits. I was also told that it was voted on by the City Cousule. However, if that was the case, wouldn't there be some documentation to that effect? So I retured to this week with a copy of the ammended ordinance and was told by the exasperated Director that it was up to her discretion on whether to issue permits and they are not doing so at this time. She also stated that the law was being review by the city attorney. Not sure why. Looking for others who are experiencing this frustration.

Let's get our permits back!!

Chix In The City

 

[theFox]

Sounds like you need to talk to the local press about your town's refusal to follow the law, just make certain you didn't miss a council action that extended the moratorium.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

One question that you need to know the answer to is WHY was permit issuance put on hold? That might have some bearing, and it may be why the city attorneys are reviewing it. Find minutes from the council meetings where that occurred and read them in their entirety. Contact one or more council members (from that time period) and ask them; contact the city's legal department. Could be that there was some comflict with an overriding law (such as state or possibly county), could be that the need for permits to have chickens was argued against, could be that there were issues with people not abiding by the conditions of the permit, could be ....

Once you understand WHY the permits were put on hold you can decide how to proceed from an informed point of view. It is not up to a city employee to make a decision on extending a moritorium that was put in place by elected officials. Yes, she can and should recommend specific actions--that would be a relevant part of her job, although it should be based upon logical reasoning, not emotion. If the moritorium was not extended, she is refusing to perform a function of her job--that is negligence. Contact her boss or the city manager with your complaint; politely written, saying that you expect public employees to fulfill all the obligations of their job, and that you will take their refusal to issue a permit by X date (give them a week) as their statement that they feel you do not need one to keep chickens. Send copies to all the city council members.