Michigan Right to Farm Law, what does it mean?

[RTFchickens]

I don't think I have submitted this for BYC viewing yet
At township meeting today, they said when we submit MAEAP verification letter they will end the ordinance violation and acknowledge our RTF protection. (Ordinance officer didn't look like he was happy about this) but I don't care...
We did continue our request for rezoning, which they denied at first claiming they could not "spot zone" when I asked for the denial in writing so I could give it to my attorney, they said they needed to look into it farther and get back to us.
Stay tuned... This could get interesting!

 

[RaZ]

Dang. I haven't received my sign yet.

 

[HandsOffMyHens]

Oh I want a sign! I need to call them.

 

[RTFchickens]

Eldenbrady, how did your court appearance go yesterday?

 

[RaZ]

How did your township meeting go on Monday, Deannag?

I was in my local court today (again) and the judge keeps bringing up my chicken case. He keeps trying to link that with every other thing that comes along. But I found it telling that he also wanted to know about the progress of the appeal. I said that I did not see the relevance of the question to the matter before him today. His answer was "I'm just curious".

The probation officer keeps asking the same question for the same reason. (Probation continues for another 21 days at least with a threat of extending it)

 

[RTFchickens]

Sorry they are still harassing you! Does your probation equal the same probation for real crimes? You can't drink, can't leave the state, etc?
I posted a little of what happened. Basically with letter of MAEAP verification township admits RTF protection and ordinances are void.
Problem is, we never got official MAEAP letter. It takes a few weeks for that. After contacting MAEAP there is no telling when it will get here with govt showdown I mean shutdown...
I sent hand written "compliance" letter that we were given and spoke with MAEAP who said township can call for verification. That's about all I can do for now...

 

[chickwhispers]

I don't think I have submitted this for BYC viewing yet
At township meeting today, they said when we submit MAEAP verification letter they will end the ordinance violation and acknowledge our RTF protection. (Ordinance officer didn't look like he was happy about this) but I don't care...
We did continue our request for rezoning, which they denied at first claiming they could not "spot zone" when I asked for the denial in writing so I could give it to my attorney, they said they needed to look into it farther and get back to us.
Stay tuned... This could get interesting!

Congrats and Best of luck to you. I will stay tuned!

 

[eldenbrady]

Tuesday narrowed our case down to a couple of issues. So we now have a business license appeal in which the city is claiming that no commercial farming is allowed so we cannot get a business license and a ticket for our goats in which they are claiming right to farm does not apply because we are not commercial. They are also claiming that zoning prohibits keeping our goats as pets (even though our zoning says absolutely nothing about what kind of animals you can keep as pets). It will be over a month before the hearing so there is more waiting.

 

[RTFchickens]

Our township is at it once again. We pulled a permit for our coop back in June. In May we purchased 59 acres with two houses on it. Since we have 2 houses, there are 2 addresses and 2 separate tax IDs. Apparently when we pulled the permit we may have accidentally put the wrong tax ID. Now instead of just changing it and putting the correct number down, they are trying to figure out how to hit us with another ordinance violation.
I guess the bullying continues! Once RTF is being used, the bullying can start? It's just not right!

 

[wingless]

Our township is at it once again. We pulled a permit for our coop back in June. In May we purchased 59 acres with two houses on it. Since we have 2 houses, there are 2 addresses and 2 separate tax IDs. Apparently when we pulled the permit we may have accidentally put the wrong tax ID. Now instead of just changing it and putting the correct number down, they are trying to figure out how to hit us with another ordinance violation.
I guess the bullying continues! Once RTF is being used, the bullying can start? It's just not right!

This is why the statewide Right to Farm law is so important, even for people who only want very small operations.

Local officials tend to err on the side of reducing all possible friction between neighbors, with a result that we end up with a lot of communities in which people aren't allowed to do reasonable things, like growing their own food. Even on 59 acres!

This might have made a little more sense when the balance between ag areas and urban areas was more balanced, but it certainly doesn't make sense now, with 20% of the state rural and 80% urban - and growing. It just makes no sense to make it illegal for the vast majority of the state to grow food, or to have any idea of how to grow food; the ability to grow food isn't a skill that we can afford to lose on this scale.

This may not be the larger kind of issue that every local unit of government is concerned with, which is why they should not be charged with regulating it. It is the kind of larger issue that the state should be concerned with, and they should respond by creating and enforcing laws that protect the rights of all people in the state to grow their own food at some level. What the appropriate level is in different areas is a fair question. But I don't think there should be any question that people should be allowed to keep small livestock where they live.

Chickens, in particular, are less of a nuisance than dogs or kittens, as far as I can tell, and each one produces an egg almost every day. It is hard to find much fault in that.