Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[gladahmae]

Well, give the new property line setbacks, in order to be in compliance with the new GAAMPs you have to have at least 200 acres (in a square to get you the 1500ft setback on all sides) and locate you "livestock facility" exatly in the center. However, there is no precise language telling you WHAT a livestock facility is.....is it the coop? the run? pasture? What it MEANS is that big corporate ag. got more protection and the little guy lost theirs.




Looks like it might be a beautiful day! I've got 11 chicks hatched out so far and 4 or 5 more pips, and 4 or 5 that have yet to get started. Picked up rain gutter to grow salad green in, so I might get started on getting those assembled today. LOTS of plants coming up in the milk jugs too! Really hoping my brother calls to say that he's got the rototiller up and running so I can work on getting my gardens prepped and planted! He's had sick kids all week (and mine too since they had a sleep over last weekend) so I completely understand why he hasn't had time to get out in the garage and clean carburetors.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

My hubby and I finished building our raised garden beds last night. I'm NOT taking a chance on everything drowning again. I can't wait to get planting, I've got to freeze/can a lot of this summer/fall.

 

[RTFchickens]

@Jerabu
It's my understanding that with the new GAAMPS change you have to be 250 feet from a non agricultural home, and less then 13 houses within 1/8th mile diameter of your "animal facility" which would be the coop or barn. If you have 50 animal units or less. The 1500ft I believe applies to 50+ animal units or other environmental factors such as water contamination issues etc... I'm not a lawyer, or a pro at this though. This is just my understanding...

 

[Sparverius]

Hello all, first time posting here

I don't have chickens yet, but was really hoping to start a small backyard flock in the future, so I'm trying to figure out how this new ruling will affect me. We have houses closer than 250 feet, however there are only about 5 or 6 houses within 1/8 mile.

I live in a "semi-rural" township where the ordinances say chickens can be kept on residential-zoned properties of a half-acre or more (ours is just a little bigger than that) as long as they aren't "a public nuisance". I've talked to the township building department about chicken coops, they told me about all the setbacks etc. and showed me the places in the yard where I could be in compliance with all of that.

Does this ruling supercede that? Or can I still keep chickens as long as I'm in compliance with township ordinances? Another post said this will remove RTF protection from neighbor complaints or lawsuits... but what could they do if I'm fully legal and in compliance? Assuming the coop is kept clean, doesn't smell, no roosters etc., could they still say the chickens are a "public nuisance" just because they're there?

I'm not sure I fully understand RTF and GAAMPs... is this actually a ban, or just removing protection against lawsuits? And how would this apply for non-commercial chicken-keeping if I'm not selling any eggs? Does it apply to other poultry as well (quail, ducks)? This is confusing, and I don't know much about agricultural law yet so I'd appreciate any clarification; thanks so much!

 

[ladyrsanti]

Hello all, first time posting here

I don't have chickens yet, but was really hoping to start a small backyard flock in the future, so I'm trying to figure out how this new ruling will affect me. We have houses closer than 250 feet, however there are only about 5 or 6 houses within 1/8 mile.

I live in a "semi-rural" township where the ordinances say chickens can be kept on residential-zoned properties of a half-acre or more (ours is just a little bigger than that) as long as they aren't "a public nuisance". I've talked to the township building department about chicken coops, they told me about all the setbacks etc. and showed me the places in the yard where I could be in compliance with all of that.

Does this ruling supercede that? Or can I still keep chickens as long as I'm in compliance with township ordinances? Another post said this will remove RTF protection from neighbor complaints or lawsuits... but what could they do if I'm fully legal and in compliance? Assuming the coop is kept clean, doesn't smell, no roosters etc., could they still say the chickens are a "public nuisance" just because they're there?

I'm not sure I fully understand RTF and GAAMPs... is this actually a ban, or just removing protection against lawsuits? And how would this apply for non-commercial chicken-keeping if I'm not selling any eggs? Does it apply to other poultry as well (quail, ducks)? This is confusing, and I don't know much about agricultural law yet so I'd appreciate any clarification; thanks so much!

Welcome.

If you've talked to your township and they told you the ins and outs and you're okay to have a flock then I would go ahead and do it. You're probably okay for now. There are some pretty drama-filled, end-of-times articles about the GAAMPs changes floating around out there right now. I live in a farm friendly area, zoned rural residential, pretty rural here but I DO NOT comply with the new guidelines because of development on each side of my 4 acre farm. While I don't foresee being told to get rid of my animals, even if I were to have a complaint filed against me, I am treading lightly and taking nothing for granted at the moment because anything can happen. We just built a new coop last fall and it was my goal to make it so visually appealing that no one in the subdivision next to us could possibly complain. I've had issues with neighbors in the past treating me like I was hillbilly in a subdivision (even though I don't consider myself a hillbilly and didn't live in a subdivision). Even if I were, I was perfectly entitled to be because the township didn't have any rules against self-sustainability but they did take the neighbor's complaints seriously and filed them under blight and other nonsense. So I'm covering my butt and that's the kind of setup I mean to keep, giving my chickens a better home than I live in, especially while this whole RTF thing blows over. Maybe I'm going overboard?

 

[RaZ]

Even if you do live in a township that allows for the keeping of chickens, if you are a category 3 or 4, you no longer have legal protection afforded by the RTF law. If you do not have a commercial operation (selling of eggs) you were never protected by the RTFA.

Bottom line is that if you are category 3 or 4, you are at the mercy of your local government and your neighbors.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

How best would you reply to this comment?

"...Notice the words... RESIDENTIAL AREA's. if you want to raise livestock buy a house in Ag 1 zoning. You have Ann Arbor to thank for this by the way. "

IMO sometimes people live life a certain way and then later decide to provide themselves/& family with food not derived from mega farms and huge corporations. They shouldn't be forced to sell everything just to have a few chickens for eggs and grow a garden. What is wrong with this picture?!

 

[RaZ]

How best would you reply to this comment?

"...Notice the words... RESIDENTIAL AREA's. if you want to raise livestock buy a house in Ag 1 zoning. You have Ann Arbor to thank for this by the way. "

IMO sometimes people live life a certain way and then later decide to provide themselves/& family with food not derived from mega farms and huge corporations. They shouldn't be forced to sell everything just to have a few chickens for eggs and grow a garden. What is wrong with this picture?!

I would not even bother to reply to that comment. It is either a troll or someone looking to argue.

People can also be trapped in a location with no way to move to a better area. That is my situation here. I stuck in this crummy city.

 

[RTFchickens]

How best would you reply to this comment?
Ag1 zoning isn't always easy to find...
Townships are re-zoning Ag to Res regardless oh the property owners wishes for their own land.
I have OVER 50 acres that are zoned RESIDENTIAL...
"...Notice the words... RESIDENTIAL AREA's. if you want to raise livestock buy a house in Ag 1 zoning. You have Ann Arbor to thank for this by the way. "

IMO sometimes people live life a certain way and then later decide to provide themselves/& family with food not derived from mega farms and huge corporations. They shouldn't be forced to sell everything just to have a few chickens for eggs and grow a garden. What is wrong with this picture?!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

X2

... and for further reading:
http://mommyneedscoffee.com/2006/11/the-care-and-feeding-of-your-troll-a-primer/