Need help understanding ordinances

[5Chickens]

I need some help understanding the ordinances where I live. I checked the Chicken LORE page, but it didnt have Coweta County on it. It had Newnan, but I do not live in the city limits. So can anyone help me out with the Coweta County (In GA) ordinances?
Thanks

 

[PhilErvin]

Call the courthouse and ask THEM to explain it to you.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

In most places counties do not regulate that you can or cannot have livestock. It is usually considered that if you are outside of city/town limits you are in the country.

First, does your county have a website? Try googling to find out. Once you find the website, look for both zoning ordinances as well as general ordinances. Either or both are likely to cover animals. For example, leash laws (at large) and animals defecating on public property (streets or sidewalks) is covered by my city code. County code determines required licensing, Zoning code determines what animals can and cannot be kept.

Read the definitions section. In Arizona, "animals" are only those capable of contracting or transmitting rabies, livestock are cattle, swine, sheep & goats. Not sure about emu or ostrich, but if I had to guess, I think they would be considered livestock due to their size. Poultry are not considered livestock; they are smallstock, along with rabbits and cavies. If a term is not defined, the common dictionary definition applies.

 

[bildo6]

http://library6.municode.com/default-test/home.htm?infobase=14179&doc_action=whatsnew

search here

thats what i did for my city. once i found the page that said i could have chickens i printed that one page and taped it to my front door. just incase code enforcement didnt know.

 

[5Chickens]

[Everything in italics is what I am saying and the normal print is from the ordinances]

Thank you to all three of you for the help. I took a look at the link bildo gave me and found this...

The definitions...

Livestock: Any animal that has hooves.
Pet: Any animal kept for pleasure, excluding livestock.
Fowl: Any warm-blooded, feathered, flying or nonflying animals. ( So in this case, chickens are fowl?)

So chickens dont have hooves, and I would be raising them for pleasure. So I am now guessing that anything to do with livestock is not needed since chickens are not considered livestock?

I then looked up anything about fowl...

Sec. 10-62. Animal or fowl enclosures.
Any pastures or enclosures shall at all times be kept and maintained in a proper, clean and sanitary condition, consistent with the needs of the animal involved.
(Code 1985, § 5-41)


ARTICLE II. SOIL EROSION, SEDIMENTATION AND POLLUTION CONTROL* Sec. 30-33. Exemptions.
(5) Agricultural operations as defined in O.C.G.A. § 1-3-3, "definitions", to include raising, harvesting or storing of products of the field or orchard; feeding, breeding or managing livestock or poultry; producing or storing feed for use in the production of livestock, including, but not limited to, cattle, calves, swine, hogs, goats, sheep, and rabbits or for use in the production of poultry, including, but not limited to, chickens, hens and turkeys; producing plants, trees, fowl, or animals; the production of aquaculture, horticultural, dairy, livestock, poultry, eggs and apiarian products; farms buildings and farm ponds;

I am not quite sure with what it means by " Agricultural operations as defined in O.C.G.A. § 1-3-3, "definitions "

And I am zoned in R-2. Which I am not sure what that means?

I also did a search on chickens and hens and poultry...


Sec. 10-63. Confinement of animals generally.
(d) It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having control of any chickens, ducks, horses, cows, goats, pigs or any other type of animal, livestock or other fowl within the county to permit them to run at large or be a menace or nuisance to such person's neighbors or the public in general.

 

[Joz]

There should be an entire section related to your zone, telling you what you can do on your property. Among this is a list of "allowable uses" for your particular zone (R-2).

For example, the allowable uses in my particular zone (in Louisiana) do not mention chickens or poultry at all. In the definitions, I learn that a kennel is "more than 4 dogs, cats, or poultry". A kennel is not on the list of allowable uses, therefore I can't have a kennel. So, I assume that I can have up to 4 animals, including poultry.

It's tricky and a bit convoluted, but if you find every instance that mentions chickens, poultry, or fowl, you should have enough info to digest and figure it all out.

The info for your zone will also tell you about "accessory buildings" (ie: your chicken coop/run!). You will likely have to locate it so many feet away from property lines, not cover more than X% of your lot area, and only be so tall.

 

[jaj121159]

Quote:
OCGA is referring to state law.

R-2 means you are in the R-2 MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT

In the RC Rural Conservation District it says, "Noncommercial agricultural uses, including poultry, horses and livestock raising, as an accessory use to a single-family dwelling for the principal benefit of the occupants thereof. Noncommercial agricultural uses, at a minimum shall meet the following:" There's no language in the R2 district similar so I would say you may not have chickens according to your zoning code. Matter of fact if you live in a single-family residence (not a duplex) your home is "grandfathered in" and is non-conforming which would mean you would have issues rebuilding if your house burned down, got destroyed by a flood or was wrecked in other ways.

 

[5Chickens]

Actually I misread, and we are zoned RC which is Rural Conversion.

And I found this...

Permitted Uses:
4. Non-commercial agricultural uses, including poultry, horses and livestock raising, as an
accessory use to a single-family dwelling for the principal benefit of the occupants
thereof. Non-commercial agricultural uses, at a minimum shall meet the following:
a) All related accessory buildings, pens or corrals, for housing or confining animals,
or for storing feed or equipment, or for similar purposes shall be located at least
100 feet from all property lines and 200 feet from any existing off-site residential
dwelling.
b) The lot/parcel shall be of adequate size to accommodate the 200-foot setback as
specified in 2(a).
c) The grazing area shall be maintained in viable grasses and herbages to reduce
erosion and prevent unsanitary conditions. The grazing area is the area of the
parcel/lot wherein livestock are confined for the purpose of feeding on growing
grasses and herbages.
d) The lot/parcel shall comply with any local, state, federal, or other laws regarding
livestock.

So if I am reading this right, does this mean I am legal? I just have to follow the few rules?

 

[Joz]

Looks like you're legal, provided you're on a really big lot.

Don't take my word for it tho, really read again your entire zone section, verify all the definitions, and check all the referenced sections.

Also read all the animal-keeping sections (you may have already posted them...). New Orleans doesn't expressly prohibit roosters, but they do prohibit all loud, repetitive, annoyance noises. While I could certainly claim a few of the neighbors dogs violate this provision, I think I'd get a lot less leeway with a rooster.

 

[5Chickens]

Thanks, any other opinions?