Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[uchytil]

We actually ran 2 ridge boards, there is a 4" space in the center to allow air flow. I will be adding some bracing yet but I think this will be pretty sturdy when we're done. We're a bit lucky in my township, we just have to pay them 65$ and they'll come out to make sure its within certain footage of the property lines.. so there's no worry there. I think the inspectors coming out today to check it. We are also going to build a larger barn some day soon. But I think we'll be building another one of these sheds for the other pasture next year. Then fencing off the rest of the property....... and building a barn to top it all off. I wish we could build a post n beam but.... you're right, it's just not cost effective anymore.

Post and beam, eh, a dream. I tore down a post and beam house on property I have in Maine a few years back. It was builot in the 1800's and even with my BIL's Kubota we could not pull if over. We had to chainsaw it apart. I kept most of the tounge and groove 10x10 beams. All hand hewn. I need to go get them someday on a large flat bed trailer. I brought back a truck load of "barn boards'. Some of them are alomost 24 inches wide and flat. Cut in the 1800's. Unreal what they did - it stood, and now the codes prohibit it.

My goats would love to pasture but I never fenced it off. I built a corral for them. Still trying to talk momma into fencing an acre or so. Even into the woods would be good because they love to forage honeysuckle and such.

 

[SillyChicken]

Post and beam, eh, a dream. I tore down a post and beam house on property I have in Maine a few years back. It was built in the 1800's and even with my BIL's Kubota we could not pull if over. We had to chainsaw it apart. I kept most of the tounge and groove 10x10 beams. All hand hewn. I need to go get them someday on a large flat bed trailer. I brought back a truck load of "barn boards'. Some of them are almost 24 inches wide and flat. Cut in the 1800's. Unreal what they did - it stood, and now the codes prohibit it.

My goats would love to pasture but I never fenced it off. I built a corral for them. Still trying to talk momma into fencing an acre or so. Even into the woods would be good because they love to forage honeysuckle and such.

Our old place had tiger-striped oak 3x8 boards in the roof for rafters, we pulled them down and salvaged what we could when we leveled and squared the floors/walls/ceiling... there was no insulation in the old part of the house.. built in 1867. When the new owner was getting ready to fix the basement and add on, the basement wall caved in (Michigan basement).. but the house stood, cantilevered out and not a crack in the new drywall! It's construction was post n beam, and they filled the wall space with brick/mortar. Solid little place!. Some days I wish we still had it!

 

[laughingclown]

More like a goat "mansion". Good move running a ridge board and keeping the top open for storage. But, if my goats saw an opening they'd be up in it fo sho. Even being zoned ag here we need permits for anything 300 sq or more. The days of barn building are over except for the very determined, or wealthy. Codes almost prohibit carpentry built roofs unless you use engineered I-beams for trusses. I'm planning a 48x30 gambrel and my only viable option are engineered trusses. I'll lose about 5 feet on either side of the upstairs (sort of). Anyway, spoiled goats at Silly's.

Actually you dont need a permit. Michigan State Building Laws (which superceed local) states you do not need a building permit to build a building used for agricultural purposes. I looked into this when my town told me I needed to get a permit for my coop. I found it, I could have fought it, but since they told me I was against the ordinances for chickens because I am zoned residential, I decided not to push my luck. I dont have deep pockets to fight the city on anything.

 

[ladyrsanti]

I second that about the permits. When I went to obtain a permit for my chicken coop they told me the same, that if it's for ag there is no building permit required BUT, you do need site plan approval.

 

[RaZ]

I hope everyone keeps fighting for their chickens, gardens and right to live free. Keep sending letters, e-mails and keep calling everyone from the governor on down. These local podunk towns keep trying to break our freedoms.

If you do stand up for your rights, they will hound and harass you. I am living proof of that.

The new thing now is a door-to-door dog census taking place in Royal Oak, the unincorporated parts of Oakland County, Ottawa County and Gennesee County took in $110,000 last year alone. http://crazyeddiethemotie.blogspot.com/2013/06/dog-census-in-michigan.html

 

[nluoma]

I hope everyone keeps fighting for their chickens, gardens and right to live free. Keep sending letters, e-mails and keep calling everyone from the governor on down. These local podunk towns keep trying to break our freedoms.

Reading this thread has me doing research. I found out I'm zoned what is considered Agricultural Residential. So I read what I can do within that zoning. The thing that confuses me is that almost everything has an exception build in. For example, it says:
*****
Density of Animals Allowed. The aggregate number of farm animals that may be kept on a property other than a farm protected under the Right to Farm Act shall not exceed one unit per acre.
******
Do I need to do anything specific to become a "farm?" I'm firmly in favor of supporting this, even if I don't have anything other than chickens.

 

[RaZ]

In the language of GAAMPs, 1 animal unit equals 5000 chickens. There are other ratios for goats, sheep and whatnot. So for each acre, you should be allowed 100 chickens. A quarter acre lot would be 25 chickens, etc.

A whole new meaning to chicken math.

 

[nluoma]

In the language of GAAMPs, 1 animal unit equals 5000 chickens. There are other ratios for goats, sheep and whatnot. So for each acre, you should be allowed 100 chickens. A quarter acre lot would be 25 chickens, etc.

A whole new meaning to chicken math.

Wow. So with 3.5 acres I could have 350 chickens. That's a lot of feathery bottoms!

 

[preciouskitty]

Holy cow! I could have 500 chickens!! Yep...totally new meaning to "chicken math"!

 

[RaZ]

Be careful with using the law and/or a sensible argument when dealing with the ordinance nazis. Even if you are correct and within your legal rights, they will find someway to cover their embarrassment. That usually means stepped up harassment and spurious charges.