Michigan Right to Farm Law, what does it mean?

[BigHope888]

Good deal, Dportfarm. Cute critters.

 

[wingless]

There has been a lot going on in Brady Township recently, where they are considering changes to the ordinances to disallow commercial agriculture in rural residential areas. You can find Twp documents as links on this page:

https://www.michigansmallfarmcounci...-rural-residential-areas-of-two-acres-or-more


And more recently, a letter to the Michigan Commissioners of Agriculture from Brady Township, and the response of MDARD, have become available. You can find links to both of those letters on this page:

https://www.michigansmallfarmcounci...rm-protects-entire-state-regardless-of-zoning


All of this has also been posted on the Michigan Small Farm Council Facebook page. We routinely post stories about what is going on with Right to Farm and other small farm issues there.

https://www.facebook.com/michigansmallfarmcouncil

 

[BigHope888]

Thank you, Wingless!

 

[wingless]

Thank you, Wingless!

You're very welcome.

I have a great fondness for this BYC thread, since so much of what I learned in the early days happened here. But a lot of the work has now moved to the pages of the Michigan Small Farm Council. I hope you'll join us if you haven't already, and that you'll also keep an eye on our FB page.

Wendy

https://www.michigansmallfarmcouncil.org/join-us.html

https://www.facebook.com/michigansmallfarmcouncil

 

[Riverdale]

I'm sorry, but short of manufacturing drugs or hurting someone else, I think that what a person has or does in their own home is nobody else's business. If a person wants to raise chickens, or cockatiels, or any other animal in their home who cares?!? And without a search warrant, who would possibly even know?!?
Like I said, as long as its not hurting anyone else (and how could animals in a house) it should not concern others. People just need to worry about their own matters.

I'm sorry, but the RTF law was written to prevent people from sueing established farms into subdivisions.

Most I see citeing RTF are NOT included under RTF.

Most of you have no idea how RTF started. I do. We **** near lost our centenial farm, Luckily, RTF was there (and brand new).

If you want critters, live in a place that allows ans embraces critters.
If you move someplace and want critters and they are not allowed, you bad, don't pee on someone else's parade.

I know I am in the minority here, but I've always been in the minority, I grew up on a farm.........

 

[wingless]

I'm sorry, but the RTF law was written to prevent people from sueing established farms into subdivisions.

Most I see citeing RTF are NOT included under RTF.

Most of you have no idea how RTF started. I do. We **** near lost our centenial farm, Luckily, RTF was there (and brand new).

If you want critters, live in a place that allows ans embraces critters.
If you move someplace and want critters and they are not allowed, you bad, don't pee on someone else's parade.

I know I am in the minority here, but I've always been in the minority, I grew up on a farm.........

Riverdale, no one is disputing that RTF protects centennial farms like yours from suburban encroachment.

But the fact remains that the 1999 amendment was written so broadly that it covers everyone who meets RTF criteria, regardless of the size or place of their operation; there is simply no language in the law that restricts RTF protection to folks like you. And, if you look at the court cases at the Appeals Court level, there are three that considered farms that existed on residentially zoned property, and found them to be protected by Right to Farm. And, if you look at what scholars from MSU and MSU-Extension have written on the subject since 1999, you'll see that they also agree with this point of view. I wrote a recent blog that has links to all of these documents if you're interested:
https://www.michigansmallfarmcounci...rm-protects-entire-state-regardless-of-zoning

 

[RTFchickens]

My 50+ acres WERE zoned agricultural, and allowed the keeping of animals. Unfortunately my township changed our zoning because a developer wanted to by my neighbors 80+ acres and put in a subdivision.
The deal fell through, and the property was never developed.
Now, I'm no longer allowed to own farm animals based on my zoning.
Luckily RTF has saved my farm.
Thanks for jumping to conclusions about my lack of knowledge on the topic, but I actually am quite familiar with it. My attorney has educated me and my township well. Which is how I'm still farming.

I still stand by my opinion that animals kept in a person's home should be no concern to others. If a person want a pet chicken instead of a parrot, who cares... Its their house...

 

[Riverdale]

Riverdale, no one is disputing that RTF protects centennial farms like yours from suburban encroachment.

But the fact remains that the 1999 amendment was written so broadly that it covers everyone who meets RTF criteria, regardless of the size or place of their operation; there is simply no language in the law that restricts RTF protection to folks like you. And, if you look at the court cases at the Appeals Court level, there are three that considered farms that existed on residentially zoned property, and found them to be protected by Right to Farm. And, if you look at what scholars from MSU and MSU-Extension have written on the subject since 1999, you'll see that they also agree with this point of view. I wrote a recent blog that has links to all of these documents if you're interested:
https://www.michigansmallfarmcounci...rm-protects-entire-state-regardless-of-zoning

I no longer live on the farm, nor have I in decade. But I was there when the original was drafted.

Got a question for all the "chicken rebels"

I buy contiguous property upwind of you. I raise hogs. Alot of them.
How would you feel? And, hey, it's RTF, right?

We need to remember is what is good for the goose is good for the gander

Or better yet, "do unto others as they would have them do to you" {paraphrase, I'm not real religoous]

 

[Riverdale]

My 50+ acres WERE zoned agricultural, and allowed the keeping of animals. Unfortunately my township changed our zoning because a developer wanted to by my neighbors 80+ acres and put in a subdivision.
The deal fell through, and the property was never developed.
Now, I'm no longer allowed to own farm animals based on my zoning.
Luckily RTF has saved my farm.
Thanks for jumping to conclusions about my lack of knowledge on the topic, but I actually am quite familiar with it. My attorney has educated me and my township well. Which is how I'm still farming.

I still stand by my opinion that animals kept in a person's home should be no concern to others. If a person want a pet chicken instead of a parrot, who cares... Its their house...

Then this (unless the zoning was changed by popular vote) is totally illegal.

It is considered "spot zoning" and illegal.

Perhaps, a simple threat to the Township of a lawsuit with 7 zeros in it wll get them to change

 

[RTFchickens]

Then this (unless the zoning was changed by popular vote) is totally illegal.

It is considered "spot zoning" and illegal.

Perhaps, a simple threat to the Township of a lawsuit with 7 zeros in it wll get them to change

Unfortunately this was all done completely legally.
There was indeed a vote, and "spot zoning" is the reasoning for re zoning me as well as the neighboring property owners. They had to change all of us or it would be considered "spot zoning"
Since it was a subdivision going in, they zoned for "densely populated residential" which the keeping of animals is not allowed.
As I said, the deal fell through, and to my knowledge the smallest parcel near us is 2 acres, and the largest is over 1,000 acres. Not what I would consider densely populated, but this is the situation... I asked to be changed back to Ag, but they said they would have to do another vote, and in their words "it will never happen"
The township also taxes residential higher then Ag, go figure.