Nervous...Want to make nice with neighbors and weird laws

[TubbyChicken]

So...I just found out that my city has no specific laws about keeping chickens, but chicken coops are not allowed by building codes (I have no idea what that means, but the lady who read this off to me laughed and said "You can have chickens, but you can't have chickens")

There is no specific ordinance about keeping backyard poultry and I know that there is a roo fairly nearby (I hear him all day). I was told that if the city received a complaint then the ordinance inspector or enforcer would come out and either warn me, inspect, or give me a time allotment to rehome the birds. She also mentioned that the laws were being revised on the 28th of this month...if they write in a new law about chickens would I really have to give up my flock that I owned before the law changed?

(The change might not even effect the ordinances on poultry, it's just a concern of mine...)

So...I'm now super concerned about my uptight neighbors filing a complaint. I have an attractive coop set up, I moved it far away from their house and I plan to add some lattice or panels around as another visual barrier.

I'm considering taking them some fresh baked goods (made with our eggs) and possibly a few fresh eggs as a way of making nice.

Any ideas? Am I being overly paranoid? Should I just wait it out and see what happens or is taking preemptive precaution a better method?

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Being nice never hurts. I like your idea of bringing baked goods and eggs...

If you are in a fairly urban area, you may not want to keep a rooster. A lot of cities will vote to keep hens but roosters have to go.

 

[bishopschickens]

I dont know about your town but I always thought if you were there and the coop was there before a law change you have the right to have them.

Brandon

 

[arlee453]

Keep the number down, avoid roosters and keep the coop in good clean order and I doubt you'll have any problems at all.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

They cannot make you get rid of your birds if you have them before the revised law. We have the same thing with horses where we are, if you are on less than 15 acres and were on that before the law was passed that you could only have horses on more than 15 acres, and you had horses on that piece of land then you were grandfathered in and were allowed to keep your horses.

Hope that made sense

 

[modenacart]

Also don't back down, alot of times, the people who are working in the public offices have no idea what they are talking about. Be sure you know what the ordinaces are before you believe anything they say.

 

[chickypoo]

I'm going with what everyone else said, keep it small, clean, and no roosters. I like your idea about a lattice. Pick a non toxic vine and you could have a pretty little set up there.

 

[sundance]

plant grape vines around the lattice and keep both you and your chickens happy, they make a nice climbing vine and Once the grapes produce, they will probably be to high for your chickens to get them, marrie

 

[clarktx]

Quote:
I see below that you already have a coop, but, if you had to do it again, build a chicken tractor. A mobile coop would not be subject to building codes any more than a wheelbarrow would.

Quote:
Sometimes, things are "grandfathered" and are not subject to current laws. A prime example of this is that you can sell a house built in 1950 without regard to 2008 building codes, but, if you sell a newly built house in 2008 it sure as heck better be up to the 2008 codes!

But, its unlikely that this would apply to an individual's chickens.

Don't worry about it until after the revision. Pre-worrying never counts for anything.

Quote:
Be confident. Be friendly. Give some eggs, but I'd stay away from the baked goodies. Free eggs say "hey, I had extra, and I'm friendly". baked goodies *could* say "hey, I'm trying to buy your silence". Thats just my opinion. The baked goodies are a wonderful idea for making friends, but, I wouldn't use them for this purpose. The eggs will win them over, or, nothing will.

 

[horsejody]

Make sure you go to any public meeting when these things are voted on or discussed. If the ordinances are being reviewed or changed on the 28th, make sure you are there and don't be afraid to speak up.