Need help!The City of Fenton, MI says I need to get rid of my chckens

[MalissaB]

Hello, I live in the city of Fenton, MI. I have a small flock of laying chickens. I have had chickens for over a year now and my neighbors have never complained. I am very conscientious about the noise and smells. I recently pulled a permit to have my front porch redone, the city came out to inspect the porch and shortly there after I was given notice regarding the city ordinance. I have three children, one of which is autistic. I think it is important to share traditional values with my children and have free range, organic eggs. Organic food is so important especially since I have an autistic child! The children and I have placed a sign in front of our home and we sell the eggs for $3.00 a dozen. I wrote a letter to the city explaining I was protected under MIRTFA and practice GAAMPS. I promptly received a threatening letter from the Fenton City attorney that stated I was not protected under MIRTFA. I then wrote another letter and included the Michigan Court of Appeals Shelby VS Papesh.

I do have a meeting with the Fenton City Manager on Monday to discuss this matter. I hope to avoid court, fines as I am a single mother. However, I do want to keep my chickens as they are also therapy for my autistic son. I was wonder if anyone had any suggestions on how I should handle the meeting on Monday?

Thank you!

 

[MiddleChild]

"MIRTFA and ... GAAMPS"

What do these acronyms stand for? We might have better advice if we understood.

 

[MalissaB]

Hello,
Michigan Right to Farm Act
Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practices

 

[Opa]

Malissa, If you were to go onto the Michigan thread and post your plight along with a email address for the City of Fenton, I'm sure our many members would send letters in your behalf.

 

[MiddleChild]

Thanks!

 

[MalissaB]

I am new at this how do I find the Michigan thread? Thank you for your help I appreciate it.

 

[ranchhand]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=233&p=2395


There it is! For furure reference, you go to the Index page, scroll to find the forum you want, click it and voila! Be sure to read the FAQs at the top, super helpful.

Hope you can keep your birds.

 

[MiddleChild]

Great philosophy. However, as we see all too frequently, law and politics usually trump philosophy and reason.

 

[Normark]

Hello Middle Child

Quote:
That is Only because we Allow it to Trump logic and reason.

The :farm animal" bylaw was put into place to keep cows and horses and pigs and Roosters out of towns and cities for obvious reasons. Which is legitimate to a point.. However times have changed..What were never "farm animals" now are..Elk,Yaks,Al Paces, Llamas, Emu etc etc etc..

What were once "farm animals" are now being kept as pets.. Pets that supply us with food...

What it boils down to is the legitimacy of the law itself.

If you are allowed 3 dogs in town, there is NO legitimate reason that you shouldn't be able to have 3 milking goats. There is No difference What So Ever between a large dog and a milking goat,, other than the sound it makes. In fact the goat is 100% Green and Eco Friendly. The goats dropping are composted, the dog's dropping are not.. Dog shyte smells, the goat does not. Dog in an Omivore the goat is a Vegetarian (for the most part)

Dogs can attack people a goat will not. Goat provides organic food for the family, a dog does not...

So you see, there are many more legitimate reason for having a goat then a dog. The pros to having a goat, outweigh the pros of a dog.


The law is arbitrary, which makes it Invalid because it serves no purpose .

I have argued the backyard chicken debate with people because of the Sarah Lock issue for a couple of weeks now...

There is absolutely not one complaint or reason that is legitimate. Their Entire and I do mean Entire argument is based on conjecture and " What If's"

"What if the Chickens Smell?" then Call Bylaw Enforcement. What if your Dog Smells?

Then they try to sneak in things like the feral cat problem, which has absolutely Nothing to do with chickens or goats.. As if flocks of feral chickens will be roaming the city.. Preposterous!

I had one guy tell me that if they allowed everyone who wanted to raise chickens for eggs, that we'd be soon putting stores out of business. This is the mentality of someone who is uninformed, and quite frankly an Imbecile.

Once you shovel away the thin layer of Rhetoric, and dispelled the Wild Fantasy of conjecture, you expose their house of cards, which collapses under it's own weight.

Another thing that we have to remember is individual and home owners property rights.

Unless I'm doing something dangerous or disturbing to my neighbors and community,, it's Absolutely NOBODY'S BUSINESS what I do.

I had bylaw enforcement on my property after I received a poorly done anonymous complaint letter, typed on an electric typewriter, speeling mistakes were corrected with white out and a red pen) LMAO.

By the powers of Deduction I know exactly who sent it.. LOL

The complaint was over the length of my front lawn, that is completely hidden by a thick triple row wall of cedars . If ya weren't Nosy, you'd never know... I considered the letter a challenge and threatened my entire family Jokingly with using vise grips on their knuckles
if anyone even Thought about touching the grass.

Bylaw enforcement came, I asked him why it was anything of his business. He told me that his job was to "protect agriculture land".

We live on a private drive with about 10 other houses.We are zoned "Estate" property.

I stepped out onto the drive, looked both ways and asked him "Do you See any agriculture land around here?" He hadn't an answer for that.

I then pointed across the lane to my neighbor's property and his 10 acres of weeds. He then said " I'm headed there next!" I replied with " Good Luck with that he's a biologist at the University!" I chuckled and he hung his head..

He then asked why I wasn't cutting my 1000 sq ft. of completely hidden front yard. I asked him " Why is that a problem, and again what does it matter to you?"

After an awkward pause I said " I'm Naturalizing" and when he dropped his chin for the second time I knew I had him Exactly where I wanted him.

He said " At Least cut the Thistles" I replied, " But what will the Hummingbirds use for nesting material and feed their babies with? "

When he hung his head for the third time, I was starting to enjoy it and could barely contain myself from letting him have it with both barrels. The only thing that saved him was the fact that he was once a client of ours. He then basically said that he had to write his report and couldn't promise that there wouldn't be another visit. I said " No problem. You have to do what you have to do and I'll do what I'll have to do" I waited another 3-4 weeks to see if he was going a follow up. No Show!

A couple of years ago I had bylaw enforcement come out to inquire about the condition of my property. He gets out of his truck and I say " Can I Help you? " He says " Whats all of this Junk laying around? " Ahh boy,, wrong person to mess with, Wrong approach...

I said " Who are you? and Why should I care ? " Then asked him if they just found him something to do to keep him on the payroll. I chased him back into his truck with a shovel. When he threatened to be back next week to "cut your lawn for you" I told him that he's better bring a bucket and a wheelbarrow because the minute the township mower touches my property I would be dismantling it with a Pick axe piece by piece ...

We were in the middle of having a Heat Pump put in, the driveway was a disaster and I was cleaning out my boat and trailer.. Regardless of what we were doing still none of his business.


I posted that just to show how I stand on bylaw enforcement...

They attempt to intimidate with false power. I resist, and refuse to comply to Anything like that. My Property, My Business.

The way to fight this, if town council refuses to listen is to simply Resist and Non Compliance. One person in this thread had her chickens taken and Euthanized what ?? Who has the power to remove Private property from your home ??

First of all.. Unless you're invited onto my property you're Trespassing. Just coming to my door constitutes Trespassing, with the exception of Fire, Ambulance and Police. Even the Police cannot walk onto your property and remove anything. Anyone that removes anything without your Express permission is committing Robbery. Simply do not Allow it to happen. Take names, lay charges.

If you are ticketed, send them back to where they came from. Do not budge, do not Bend and Do Not Contract with them. If you have accidentally went into contract with them, Revoke the contract (Specifically) with a Notice of Claim of Right. Then do not go into contract with them... Force them to function under Common Law, don't even acknowledge their perceived "authority" over you...

Ok,, WoW..

RANT MODE

**OFF**

Bills and Beaks
Peace and Love

Eric

**edited to remove profanity and censor by-passing**

 

[dianaross77]

Wow Eric, you are a brave man.

I was just telling my husband that its depressing that you spend all this money to buy a property and pay your taxes and still don't have any rights as to what to do with it. I'm going right out to buy a goat!

To the OP, we are all anxiously awaiting news of your meeting...