neighbor's chicken coop too close?

[aprilg17]

I live on a private road. Old farm land that was divided up into lots. I have 5 acres. My neighbor has 12 acres (mostly unusable). They have assembled a couple sheds enclosed in fencing and intend to house chickens. They say it is 20 ft from property line. However the edge is with 35 ft from my house and bedroom/living room windows. They did not ask/advise me of this venture. They have make shift greenhouses and are supposed to be an organic farm. I asked them to move the chicken coop because of location to my house. I feel it will bring down the value of my property. I had chickens at one point, raccoons got them all. They stink and they are noisy.
Are there any laws that say how far away from neighbor's bedroom windows coops have to be. In Brown county, Ohio.
Also, not related to chickens...but they have make shift greenhouse with black fabric(?) covering it. What would they grow in there. They have come from the city and are marijuana friendly according to their daughter's facebook page. I have never used the stuff. I can smell an odd sweet odor at times.
I don't at all care that they have chickens.....just away from my house.
any suggestions?

 

[MommaHen2Many]

Check the county/city code for where you live. I live in Wa state where marijuana is now legal...growing it typically smells like "skunk"..yes isn't that just really pleasant. You will be driving down a road...in the city...and smell this awful smell, and yup there is a huge warehouse with major cooling units on top, and polluting the area with its stink! Most folks don't realize if your state legalizes "smoking it" then "farmers" can now grow it...anywhere! and then their advertisements will be on billboards, the front of your newspaper...everywhere-even for kids to see. (ok I need to stop ranting!) For the chicken coop. Where I live there are certain set backs that are required, so be sure to check with your county/city. Just because there is acreage-doesnt mean they can have farm animals. Sometimes people think they can have "farm critters" but without proper zoning, they may not be able to. Be sure to keep a log/history of your conversations with the neighbors. Once you find out the law, check with code enforcement if they are breaking the law, you can also share that history with them.

 

[aprilg17]

thank you

Check the county/city code for where you live. I live in Wa state where marijuana is now legal...growing it typically smells like "skunk"..yes isn't that just really pleasant. You will be driving down a road...in the city...and smell this awful smell, and yup there is a huge warehouse with major cooling units on top, and polluting the area with its stink! Most folks don't realize if your state legalizes "smoking it" then "farmers" can now grow it...anywhere! and then their advertisements will be on billboards, the front of your newspaper...everywhere-even for kids to see. (ok I need to stop ranting!) For the chicken coop. Where I live there are certain set backs that are required, so be sure to check with your county/city. Just because there is acreage-doesnt mean they can have farm animals. Sometimes people think they can have "farm critters" but without proper zoning, they may not be able to. Be sure to keep a log/history of your conversations with the neighbors. Once you find out the law, check with code enforcement if they are breaking the law, you can also share that history with them.

.....
I think they can have chickens....we have cows on our road....and horses. What I need to know is if there is a restriction on how close they can have this coop. It is right outside my bedroom window.

 

[aprilg17]

thank you

.....
I think they can have chickens....we have cows on our road....and horses. What I need to know is if there is a restriction on how close they can have this coop. It is right outside my bedroom window.

the pot is illegal here.....that is just an irritation. I don't smoke anything, I don't do drugs, etc. They are hippies. Their daughter b_t_h a rant at me a year ago...about cats pooping in her organic garden. I don't have cats. I do have two inside dogs....that could be on a wire some during the day....ten feet from the coop. I love dogs...I could be a rescue too. And I am probably a brat....but a good brat.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Call your town clerk's office and ask what the setback is from property and if there is a setback requirement from dwellings. If they say it's 20ft away from property line that may be the requirement. But then there may also be a setback required from your house too. Usually those are 50 or even 100 ft if required.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Agree with the others. You need to check with your city/county.
I wouldn't suggest taking legal advice from a forum.
I know here it would be within their rights to have the coop 20' from the property line but you would be breaking codes having your house 15' from the property line.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The laws definitely vary a lot between different towns and counties. For my area the setback is 10 feet from property lines and that's it. I agree the best course of action is to call your local town and/or county and check with their zoning department as far as setback restrictions. Beyond that, if the proposed coop location is legal but undesirable, you could try talking to them again about moving it, maybe help them find a better spot to situate their enclosure. Hopefully you can work together to find a good compromise.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

The laws definitely vary a lot between different towns and counties. For my area the setback is 10 feet from property lines and that's it. I agree the best course of action is to call your local town and/or county and check with their zoning department as far as setback restrictions. Beyond that, if the proposed coop location is legal but undesirable, you could try talking to them again about moving it, maybe help them find a better spot to situate their enclosure. Hopefully you can work together to find a good compromise.

I would not recomend you start a fuss with your neighbor, have had a neighbor do this to me, broke my daughter's heart to have to get rid of a roo (and mine). She was the only neighbor who had a problem and didn't have the decency to approach me, just called the city on me. She was with in her right, however she has caused extreem ill will. It makes for very hard feelings when you use the law or codes to your own ends. I can promise you there is some old law or code you don't know about that you may be violating. You sound very angry and like maybe you don't like where you live, perhaps you should move to someplace where livestock is prohibited altogether, then you can just keep your dogs on a wire. Neighbors should take care of eachother, one never knows when you will need your neighbor. Before you do anything else, check out the thread Hurricane Advice. Then decide whether you want your neighbor to hate you.

 

[MommaHen2Many]

@aprilg17 found this thread....https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...nd-the-ohio-revised-code-update.377980/page-2 (copy & paste into your web browser)
lots of talk about what works in ohio, and what doesnt...you might want to read through it. I really get that Aprilg17 is not a chicken person..actually having raised birds and decided it didn't work. We can't all love the same thing. But coming to BYC for help was a good choice. The neighbor has 12 acres to put their chickens on, its not the same situation, as asking them to give up a favorite pet. Aprilg17 just wants them moved deeper into the neighbors property where the sounds & smells wont be "shared". I get it!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

That's why I suggested she move where there is no noisy, smelly livestock. She seems unhappy that her neighbors wont do what she wants them to do with their property. I think she needs to move where she can live with like minded people, instead of trying to change the neighborhood she is in to her liking. Per her own admission, there are other noisy, smelly livestock in the neighborhood, so just move.