HOA laws prohibit chickens in Dover Delaware

[atcbravozulu]

I live in a deed restricted neighborhood in Dover, Delaware. Yesterday I called the city planners office and they stated I could keep up to 25 chickens on my property in the city of Dover. I was stoked and immediately began making plans to build a small mobile coop for 3 hens. This morning I had a nagging feeling and dug out the HOA rules for my neighborhood. The rules concerning animals states ..."No pigs, chickens, poultry, rabbits, pigeons, cattle, goats, sheep, horses, animals traditionally considered to be wild or farm animals, other non-household pets..." I don't even see a loophole here. So I called the city planners office again, read them what my HOA states and their answer changed; they stated that the laws of the HOA trump the laws of the city and state. The laws were written in 2001...long before the self-sustainability movement and backyard chickens became popularized in this area. The laws, in my opinion, are antiquated and NEED to be updated...but how? My husband suggested we draft a formal letter requesting the laws be changed to allow backyard chickens, but neither of us are optimistic that our HOA will change the rules. Our other option is to keep chickens illegally, and considering we both have federal jobs...well that just doesn't seem prudent.

Does anyone have any experience with this at all?

Thank you in advance for your comments and advice.

Beth

 

[Sweets2005]

Hi Beth, sorry to hear about your situation. This is why I would never live in a neighborhood with an HOA. We rented a house with an HOA and they really made things difficult, nit-picking over every little thing. They can make your life miserable with fines, and even putting a lien on your house if you don't pay them, so I definitely don't suggest having chickens. You can try appealing to your HOA but they are very unlikely to change their bylaws. Sorry again