Neighbor hates my chickens- will she do them harm?

[subhanalah]

Violation of a Town Ordinance- no roosters.....it trumps the right to farm law. Right to farm is designed to protect farmers from civil lawsuits because of their daily farm operations (noise, smell etc.) Yes...I talked to a lawyer...it's a bummer. I guess I am just going to have to hope the little collar keeps Spock quiet enough. However, I really want to wait to put it on until the very last day before they are going to fine us....at least I can have that.

Yes, 50 acres, 100 acres-no roosters over 6 months of age....the town rezoned everything back in the 80's I think? They made all kinds of new agriculture laws...like you have to have 2 acres to have a horse etc. The building my chickens are in was the old milk house a long time ago...so if I wanted to have a dairy farm with as many cows as I want I can. But I can't have one, little, rooster because Crazy Lady complained. And the hardest part of it is that all I want to do is go take my horse trailer to the nearest livestock auction and pick up a trailer full of the noisiest creatures I can find. But that's not me......but I sure hope my new goats are screamers!

we're not talking about the right to farm act though.

We are talking about paying taxes on something and some entity taking that taxed right away from you.

 

[ChaoSS]

I would be very careful arguing the issue about the property being taxed as agricultural. You could argue the zoning but not the taxing.

Usually, property taxes are lower for agricultural uses than for residential. You don't want it to backfire on you and see them change the whole thing to a higher tax classification.

 

[subhanalah]

I would be very careful arguing the issue about the property being taxed as agricultural. You could argue the zoning but not the taxing.

Usually, property taxes are lower for agricultural uses than for residential. You don't want it to backfire on you and see them change the whole thing to a higher tax classification.

that's for sure.

I don't understand why they would zone part of a property one way and the rest another way.

 

[ChaoSS]

I'm no expert on zoning laws but likely it is not legal to put a house on something zoned agricultural, so this is the way to allow the small farm with the home on it.

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

And the attention-seeking behavior continues. Two days in a row now Crazy Lady pretends to walk her dog up and down next to the chicken area. I don't think the dog is really even there. She starts talking to him (herself) as soon as I open the gate to collect eggs at 5:00 PM. Then as soon as I close the gate I don't hear another word. She does the same thing when DH and I come out after dinner to work in the chicken garden....only she is talking to her brother about how she won't let him get hit by a car. I'm not sure if he is really there either. I just keep hoping if I ignore her, the stalking behavior will stop. It's getting more and more creepy.

This morning they were putting up the fence bright and early. They had driven in 2 stakes and put up a string when starting fence construction last Friday. This was to mark the line of where they were putting up the fence so it will be straight. They told me the string had been cut each night. Then both ends had been rolled up in tiny little loops. CRAZY!!!!!!!!

Our town regulations are confusing...it's the state rules that determine if we are using our land for farming. Then the town certifies the land use and taxes our land. We have been certified as having one residential acre and 25 farm acres. However, there is no longer "farm" zoned land per say in our town. All land zoned "R1" is deemed suitable for low density agriculture. If you want high density agriculture and your farm has not been grandfathered in, then you must get a special exception permit from the zoning board. This farm I live on was a Dairy Farm for perhaps 50 years. Then the person who owned the farm in 80s split off two lots (Crazy Lady's and the foreclosure) and sold them when her husband became very ill. When she did that the town reclassified the farm as a subdivision and it lost the grandfathered farming status.

 

[Starfire669]

And the attention-seeking behavior continues. Two days in a row now Crazy Lady pretends to walk her dog up and down next to the chicken area. I don't think the dog is really even there. She starts talking to him (herself) as soon as I open the gate to collect eggs at 5:00 PM. Then as soon as I close the gate I don't hear another word. She does the same thing when DH and I come out after dinner to work in the chicken garden....only she is talking to her brother about how she won't let him get hit by a car. I'm not sure if he is really there either. I just keep hoping if I ignore her, the stalking behavior will stop. It's getting more and more creepy.

This morning they were putting up the fence bright and early. They had driven in 2 stakes and put up a string when starting fence construction last Friday. This was to mark the line of where they were putting up the fence so it will be straight. They told me the string had been cut each night. Then both ends had been rolled up in tiny little loops. CRAZY!!!!!!!!

Our town regulations are confusing...it's the state rules that determine if we are using our land for farming. Then the town certifies the land use and taxes our land. We have been certified as having one residential acre and 25 farm acres. However, there is no longer "farm" zoned land per say in our town. All land zoned "R1" is deemed suitable for low density agriculture. If you want high density agriculture and your farm has not been grandfathered in, then you must get a special exception permit from the zoning board. This farm I live on was a Dairy Farm for perhaps 50 years. Then the person who owned the farm in 80s split off two lots (Crazy Lady's and the foreclosure) and sold them when her husband became very ill. When she did that the town reclassified the farm as a subdivision and it lost the grandfathered farming status. 

I think you need to look into getting a restraining order against this crazy lady. She is stalking you and you need to protect yourself. Since she has had encounters with the construction crew, ask them to provide statements about her behavior, like the string cutting and stuff. I would think, since the string is part of the construction she should be held responsible for interfering with your life and property. If you have pictures and recordings of her crazy behaviors, now would be the time to nail with everything you have while you have the construction crew there to back you up.

 

[Blooie]

I think you need to look into getting a restraining order against this crazy lady. She is stalking you and you need to protect yourself. Since she has had encounters with the construction crew, ask them to provide statements about her behavior, like the string cutting and stuff. I would think, since the string is part of the construction she should be held responsible for interfering with your life and property. If you have pictures and recordings of her crazy behaviors, now would be the time to nail with everything you have while you have the construction crew there to back you up.

Absolutely! In most places tampering with marking strings is illegal.

 

[AmericanMom]

I think you need to look into getting a restraining order against this crazy lady. She is stalking you and you need to protect yourself. Since she has had encounters with the construction crew, ask them to provide statements about her behavior, like the string cutting and stuff. I would think, since the string is part of the construction she should be held responsible for interfering with your life and property. If you have pictures and recordings of her crazy behaviors, now would be the time to nail with everything you have while you have the construction crew there to back you up.

100% agree.. I have followed this thread for the last couple weeks and her behavior just keeps escalating, the moment she interferes with your property or the construction there of I am of the opinion you should seek legal council and to determine the next steps to be taken, I have little doubt that she will keep pushing the boundaries because there hasn't been anything so far legal to stop her.

 

[Fletch83]

Have to love people who don't take any bull from others. One of the people putting up the fence today was a young woman. She and the guy working with her parked their truck next to the road. The young woman leaned up some fence section against the big tree on our property to paint them. Crazy Lady stopped of course as she was driving out to complain that she couldn't see out her driveway. The young woman replied, "Well, you can hear can't you? I don't hear a car, do you?" Crazy Lady rolled up her window and drove away.

Fence progress...Lucy and Counselor Troi looking on... Getting there!




New rooster Warren Harding with Mrs. Harding....no crowing yet! (He's just a baby.)

What a pretty yard and chickens! And that looks like a nice solid fence, too Once that's up I bet it will keep out a lot more crazy.

 

[sbhkma]

What a pretty yard and chickens! And that looks like a nice solid fence, too Once that's up I bet it will keep out a lot more crazy.

I wouldn't bet on it. That lady is determined to make everyone around her as miserable as she is. The rooster/fence are just her current focus of angst.