I hate Long beach ca

[GardeNerd]

There is a little more progress on changing Long Beach urban farming restrictions. I got this email today:

Hi Long Beach urban agriculture advocates,

Long Beach City Council's Environmental Committee will be considering the urban agriculture proposal that passed the Sustainable City Commission in December. I can't believe it has taken this long, but still....

The meeting is scheduled for October 18 at 3:30 PM in City Council chambers. I hope that you can make it to support relaxing the cities zoning and setback restrictions on small scale animal husbandry in Long Beach, including egg-laying poultry and small livestock such as dwarf goats.

I look forward to meeting you.


Best wishes,

If you live in Long Beach or the surrounding areas, please come to the meeting on Oct. 18th and support changes to the restrictions.​

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

 

[GardeNerd]

I got a reminder email this morning from the Long Beach Grows Organizer and wanted to pass this along:

This afternoon at 3:30 the Long Beach City Council's Environmental Committee will be considering the urban agriculture proposal that passed the City's Sustainability Commission in December.

The meeting is scheduled for today, October 18 at 3:30 PM in City Council chambers. I hope those of you who live in Long Beach, and even if you don't, that you can come out to support relaxing the cities zoning and setback restrictions on backyard chickens, small livestock such as dwarf goats, and bees.

Thanks!

Oct. 18th
3:30
333 Ocean Blvd.
City Hall-City Council Chambers
Long Beach, CA

 

[andrea98]

Best of luck!! Let us know how it turns out..

 

[GardeNerd]

Here is my take on what transpired, but the minutes will probably be online next month at www.longbeach.gov:

The issue of relaxing the zoning and set back ordinances on chickens, bees, and dwarf goats is staying at the committee level for now. There were other items on the agenda, and this was the third order of business. After listening to the sustainability commission's endorsing report, the 2 council members present stated they want more information on the animals' possible community impact, want opportunities to hear other residents' opinions, and stated any new ordinances pertaining to Long Beach animals should be specific to the variety of neighborhoods within it, not just adopted from another large urban city's progressive chicken/ bees/ goat ordinances.

I would estimate there were about 20 folks in support of chickens, bees, and goats present at the committee meeting, but only about 8 residents got up and spoke, and bees had the majority of speakers. The council members specifically asked that anyone getting up to speak, not restate any points already brought up by other residents. They ran out of time for more discussion or input from residents due to another city hall meeting that was scheduled to start there at 4:30.

It took more than 10 months to go from the sustainability commission to Environmental Committee level, so it might be just as long a wait again before it gets, if ever, to the city council level for a vote.

 

[GardeNerd]

There is another meeting of the Environmental Committee coming up on March 13th on updating the code in regards to the keeping of chickens. Please come out and show your support!

I just got this in an email from Gerrie Shipskie, a Long Beach City Councilwoman. This was in it:





Sorry for the small font, but I was unable to copy and paste it from the image she uploaded. It looks like the city is slowly moving forward on reviewing Long Beach's ordinances on Chickens, Bees, and Goats. I am happy to see that even though this has not moved beyond the Environmental Committee level, that it has been brought to the attention of the other council members. Hopefully, Gerrie, the other City Council Members, and enough of the residents support relaxing the restrictions. Gerrie does listen closely to voters opinions, so let her know how you feel if you live in the 5th district. If you are a L.B. resident, contact your council person and the voting members of the Environmental Committee. The contact info for the council and the environmental committee members are in the quote below.

There is another meeting of the Environmental Committee coming up on March 13th. Please come out and show your support!

Thanks!

Here is the most recent announcement about the upcoming meeting from Long Beach Grows:

, [email protected]

• The Vice Chair is Patrick O’Donnell: [email protected], [email protected]

• The third city council member of the committee is James Johnson: [email protected], [email protected]

• If you don’t know who your City Council representative is, you can find that information here: http://www.longbeach.gov/council/default.asp

I would appreciate being cc'd on your emails: [email protected]

To hear a preview of what the Sustainabiliity Office will present, for better or worse, visit this audio recording of the msot recent meeting of the Sustainable CIty Commission.

To hear what the Environmental Committee had to say about the issue at their last meeting, listen to this audio recording.

To read about our little farm in the city, LBGROWS Unity Farm, click here.

Thanks for your patience and continued support as we advocate for local food security through urban agriculture.

I'm pro goat and I vote!

Best wishes,

Donna Marykwas
Long Beach Grows
Growing a more sustainable future
www.longbeachgrows.org
[email protected]
1-562-912-3364

P.S. In case you missed it, Long Beach Grows made the Press Telegram, and a recent article reported by AP that was picked up nationwide and even in Canada!

 

[OneLittleChicky]

Hi,

I'm new to the backyard chicken stuff but I live in Long Beach and have an enormous (for LB that is) backyard. We just started 3 raised garden beds and I am currently battling massive amounts of earwigs (that are eating my seedlings) and pill bugs, etc. So I was thinking of getting 2 chicks - one just seems lonely - or maybe a chick and a duck(?) to help with the bug problem and of course for some home grown eggs. But then I saw all the codes that LB has..... wowsers. Can anybody tell me if 2 fowl are allowed or not? And maybe just generally tell me how their experience has been here in LB with backyard chickys?

Please let me know - I would greatly appreciate it!!

 

[jamesbwood]

Maybe you could borrow, say 5 chickens, from someone for a month or so to test drive them?

 

[OneLittleChicky]

If I had a coop or knew anyone with chickens then maybe. I'm just trying to find out what people have experienced within Long Beach. I know that someone down the street from us has a crowing rooster because I can hear him. I'm surprised the city hasn't come out to fine them. But I'm glad that there are others with chickens

 

[MissChristy]

​

Hi!
I'm in East Long Beach, near CSULB. We just inherited 3 hens from a friend who was forced to rehome 3 of her 4 (the little old lady behind her didn't even mess with Animal Control, she called the City and someone was out 3 hours later). Anyway, we have a much bigger lot (around 9500 sq ft- huge for the area) and we've measured for setback compliance several times. I'm almost 100% sure we're w/in the setback rules but I'm still worried that someone will call regarding noise. They squawk for about 20 minutes every time one of them lays an egg. I'd love to compare notes w/ another LB Backyard Farmer!