need to get zoning allowance

[apbgv]

Ok here is the problem my Boss and I were going to get some chickens for the clinic(he has 5 lots around the clinic. The Ac lady told us there is a 25 chicken limit in Mason City can even have roos!! Well she comes in yesterday and tells us we can't have them because the zoning area there is different and we can't have them but we can have an adult book store. Well we would really like to have the chickens the ones we have ordered are all on the preservation list
We would like to get a exception on the zoning ie preservation of heritage breeds, education(we do tours for children at the clinic). Any one got any advice. I told her they are pets and she said they would have to be in the house then well there are a lot of dogs in Mason that are out 24/7 guess they aren't pets then hmmmm
Private PMs and e mails are fine if we don't want to clog of the forum

I do not want to cancel my order to sandhill as the breeds I am getting are sold out for this season.

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

Slip a few by, raise them in the house for a bit, then see if you CAN get a zoning allowance.

 

[countryboy]

i think a coop qualifies as a house "chicken house". if chickens are allowed in city limits and they are telling you no, then i would think you are being discriminated against. zoning laws are not usually that specific. do they run of the wild birds in your area also. sorry for the rant but i think something isn't in order with her saying you can't have chickens there.

 

[apbgv]

something about being zoned for business use. Any body have a sample of getting a zoning exception we really want to get these birds as I can't have any roos here in charles city and I only have room for a couple more banties in the coop we are planning on getting salmon faverolles, chanteclers and jersey giants. HELP

 

[Wildsky]

tell everyone you're opening an adult book store - once everyone is in a frenzy - tell em you're kidding you are just getting chickens!

 

[SeaChick]

Last summer we convinced our town to completeley change the zoning ordinance to allow chickens, but at one point the city council was talking about possibly giving a variance instead, so we looked into that.

to get a variance, we would have had to get permission from everyone within 500 feet of our house and submit a proposal to the city council. However, every town has a different procedure.

You need to find out what the procedure for a variance is in your town, and then take the steps to get it. When you make your proposal to the city council or planning board or whoever it is, you'll want a really good, clear argument. I think your points about preserving heritage breeds and education are good ones. Our strongest point was that our chickens would be PETS just like someone's dog or cat or bunny rabbit, and shouldn't be discriminated against, and that PET chickens were a very fast-growing trend across the nation. Also the whole green/sustainable living angle was a big selling point because Maine is paying a lot of attention to that these days. Here is the web site we used during our "campaign" last summer, for more ideas: http://www.sailzora.com/chickens.htm

and be prepared to rebuff the arguments against you, try to anticipate them in advance so you can address them. Here are the issues that our town had:
http://www.sailzora.com/opposition.htm

Good luck!!
Stacey

 

[tiffanyh]

Attach the chicken coop to the house, but them away at night--in the house-- and let them out during the day. Just like a dog!!

What kind of clinic is it?

 

[apbgv]

I work in a small animal clinic the vet owns pretty much all the property around clinic like 5 large lots. Thanks for the input everyone

 

[Cheryl]

Therapudic (I don't think that spelled right) chickens for your clinic?!!!

 

[MissPrissy]

What if the exterior coop and run was on site for housing chickens brought into the clinic or for abandoned fowl? It seems silly to me that an animal clinic is being told what it can and cannot house on site.

If the owner really wants to have chickens I would dig a lot deeper. Those very specific rules seem odd.