How do you find out if you are in city limits

[Chickadee28]

Ok, here is my dilemma. I am trying to find out what laws apply to me.
I have an East Moline, IL address.
I live in a rural subdivision in Hampton,IL township. We all have at least 1/2 acre lots.
We have a Hampton phone #.
We are not in the East Moline school district even though we have an East Moline address.
I have checked the animal ordinance for East Moline and I could not find anything about chickens. The only thing they talk about is cats and dogs, which btw I have too many,they only allow a combination of three in the city!

I am obviously not in the city, but I am unsure of what applies to me. Since I have an East Moline address would the city rules apply to me? The county states that you can have as many animals as you can care for, but you have to get a license if you have more than four dogs. We have many farms in our county. If I were to need emergency services the county would respond, not the city. Not sure if that makes a difference or not.

My fear is someone will complain about the chickens and they will see that I have 3 dogs and 3 cats(all indoor) and make me get rid of animals. There are several farms across the road from me, I can hear the goats sometimes. I am afraid to start calling people, they might wonder what I am up too! Should I casually ask long time residents if we are in the city limits, and even if we are not do city rules apply?

I am not even sure who to call... the county or the city. For those of you that had to look into this how did you proceed?

 

[TundraChick]

City laws would not apply to you if you are outside the city limits. I live in a small town with an mailing address of a neighboring city. You would know if you were in the city limits you would be paying city taxes.

It would be county laws that apply to you.

 

[silkiechicken]

Go to your city website. On there should be a city map with a shaded area showing the city limits. Or at your city/county website, search city limits or rules and regulations, and you should be able to find what city limits are.

Or, You can go stop a cop and ask them. Talking to cops is fun. You can also go to the sherrifs office, or city hall.

 

[Chickadee28]

Thanks, I am going to track down a copy of our tax bill and scour the city website again. I could not find a map on the site. I would assume that I am not paying city taxes as I do not receive any city services, a private company picks up our garbage, we have a community well and septic. I am probably overreacting, I just want to make sure I do not get a surprise knock at the door one day!

 

[gardener]

Our local phone book has the maps in front with the city limits highlighted and the outlining areas shaded.

 

[Betsy]

Just because you have a city address doesn't mean you live in the city and have to abide by the rules. My address is that of large city, we live in that cities' school district, yet are governed by the laws of the county.
I would look up a map of your area to find out where the boundaries are. From what you said, it sounds like you live in the county. Good luck!

 

[hollyclyff]

I don't know about where you live, but in NC a city can force residents within their ETJ (extraterritorial jurisdiction) to comply with their rules even if they aren't in the city limits. Scares me to death, since the "town" of Cary (aka the Evil Empire) has expanded to within 1 1/2 miles of us and they don't allow anything. Supposedly we can't be force annexed because of our lot sizes, but I'm not sure if that applies to ETJ.