Looking for folks with success in changing their local laws

brenda+2

In the Brooder
10 Years
Mar 30, 2009
11
1
22
I live in Milford, Ma - a suburb of Boston and Worcester - and we are not allowed to have chickens if we own less than 5 acres of land. I would like to try to change this by-law.

We have had our illegal chickens since April 2009 and we will find them a new home. But, I believe the town law is arcane and would like to try to change it.

Any help from folks with success is appreciated. Thank you!
 
Your best source would be to go to the website www.madcitychickens. com. These are the folks who got the ordinances changed in Madison, WI.

There is also a very well done and humorous video they produced called "Mad City Chickens", which chronicals their efforts. Order a copy.
 
We have been working on this in Salem, Oregon since last February. I think in a couple of months we will be successful. Before we presented our proposal to the Mayor we did 6 months of research which you might find helpful. Our research packet is available online at www.salemchickens.com. We are also filming a documentary about our efforts which should be available on DVD in the next few months. A reporter from the Wall Street Journal is currently writing a story about us, should be published in a couple of weeks!
 
brenda+2 :

I live in Milford, Ma - a suburb of Boston and Worcester - and we are not allowed to have chickens if we own less than 5 acres of land. I would like to try to change this by-law.

We have had our illegal chickens since April 2009 and we will find them a new home. But, I believe the town law is arcane and would like to try to change it.

Any help from folks with success is appreciated. Thank you!

Good luck to you! I'm originally from Milford and unless you have ins its almost impossible. But I do remember people on Red Wood that had chickens and there is no way there property was 5 arches.

I'd like to be updated on any progress you make and GOOD LUCK! That would be great if it changed.​
 
Hey everyone - thanks for your support. We were not able to change laws, but we did apply for a special permit and it was approved in July '09. The permit, however, is only good for a year. Because keeping chickens in a residential neighborhood is new to the zoning board, they wanted to see if our neighbors had any issues with our chickies. If we apply again next summer, they will probably extend the permit for a longer period of time.
 
I was just curious if you still have your chickens, I live in Milford also and keep 3 hens. They are immaculate and no odor. I never told anyone and none of my neighbors know I have them and we are close to each other's yards. One neighbor gets eggs from me and she doesn't mind them at all.

LittleFlock
 
Hey Local Neighbors...Norfolk county is a pain in the butt! We live in Plainville,and have new chicks that are about 5 weeks old..not outside yet,but will be very shortly...we didn't tell anyone either-our neighbors who have 14 acres of land(imagine!)have chickens...so i'm hoping we can get away with it(the noise part,anyway)-we'll see...good to know,maybe we'll have to get a permit also! thanks for the advice!
 
http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/government/2010/05/29/chickens-come-to-roost-in-palo
http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/government/2010/05/24/palo-passes-backyard-chicken-ordinance
http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/05/11/palo-ready-to-open-backyards-to-chickens

Here
are 3 articles to view. I guess I was lucky when I approached our city council. I presented a letter stating that I wanted the city to change the ordiance to allow backyard chickens along with the pros of having chickens. I also went around to the nearest neighbors with a petition. Three readings later, I now have chickens, and some of the neighbors don't even know yet since they are so quiet. Good luck
 

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