How would you interpret this law

[ShariM]

This is what is written in the bylaws for our city.... the way I read it ... it is ok to have chickens.... how would you take it...

§ 147-7 Keeping of fowl or animals.


Editor's Note: See also Ch. 65, Animals.
[Amended 4-2-1979 by Ord. No. 11]
Whenever it shall be a nuisance or menace to health, it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to keep any fowl or animal on any property located within the corporate limits of the Town of Manchester, and any person or persons convicted of violating this section shall be subject to such fine as provided in § 147-12 of this chapter.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Check the uses you are allowed in your zoning code. Chances are that poultry are allowed only in agricultural districts. I do not take the code you quoted as meaning that you are allowed chickens.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

What horrid wording. How vague could they be? It's seems "Whenever" an official arbitrarily deems it unlawful it is.

I'd just call your town clerk and ask.

 

[NCnarrator]

You might also check with animal control. I would read it as you can have chickens until or unless a complaint is made and the chickens are found to be a menace to health. That could happen if you had a lot of chickens that weren't being kept in reasonable level of cleanliness, which might cause a neighbor to complain about smell. Of course, that would be up to the office arriving to investigate the complaint.

You might also want to check noise ordinances - depending on the way those are written, the noise of the chickens (particularly a rooster) might get you in trouble as well.