New Jersey

[33yardbirds]

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The birds are promised, Thank you for you interest, if anything changes I will repost.

 

[Hooligan Farm]

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I'm in SJ.

 

[hithere753]

Anyone from Medford, NJ? I am currently in the process of buying a house zoned AR that is bank owned. The township has told me that although the land use code provides AR (Agricultural Retention ) Zone on residential property has the right to farm which specificlly calls out poultry, they will not let me keep poultry because the code on Agricultural property requires 5 acres. I can't take the issue to the zoning board because the owner is a bank that will not sign an application for a variance. Does anyone keep chickens in Medford and own less than 5 acres or am I the only one who wants Pet Chickens in Medford, NJ? I tried asking Cherry Hill and Mount Laurel about their chicken zoning laws but have been passed around. Has anyone worked with any of these townships and have been able to keep chickens legally on less than 5 acres?

 

[mame1616]

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That is unbelievable! How many acres is the property? I assume you tried asking the zoning board if you can apply for a variance after you purchase the property? If you need more advice, Google Mad City Chickens, I think they have info for peeps in your position. Or search out some other threads on here. Good luck!

 

[froggie71]

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You should try Shamong. Right next to medford. We have 1.5 acres and have no problems with keeping our animals (poultry, pig).

 

[33yardbirds]

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Back in the late 50's early 60's I lived on Trimble St. A couple of people had chickens and nobody cared. Rapp's poultry farm I believe was on Wilkin's Station Rd and there used to be a two story coup on the cornor across from Merrit's Gas Station. When Medford changed from a town to a "village" it was the end of a better way of life. Kirby's used to mill their own feed now it is all commercial to appeal to the up-scale cliantel(sp). Now where I live a girl has a horse a goat and some chickens on a 1/4 acre right next to the twp building and I am only 12 miles away from "Metfert" as they say in this neck of the woods. I can tell you it will be a waste of time to try and change the use of your property. Your better of buying a set of golf clubs and getting your eggs at the Ac-a-me. Sorry for the dark cloud.

 

[hithere753]

Thanks for the advice overrun. My main frustration is that the land use code very clearly gives me the right to have poultry, but the code enforcement officer is making a judgment against having chickens because the property is 2 acres and located in a high end housing development. They are taught to deny any claims that may be unpopular so that it becomes the responsibility of the zoning board to make the decision. Basically, it dosen't really matter what is written in the code, the township can just claim that it has a different interpretation. It costs 400 dollars to challenge the interpretation to the zoning board. The zoning board then has the right to determine what the result is. Bottom line: If dosen't really matter what is written in the land use code which is pretty frustrating if you were buying a property that has over 20k in taxes a year. If the land use code was written in a way the prohibts chickens in Medford, I wouldn't mind so much, but ignoring plain english is just frustrating...... The code is written such that all zones with a prexisting use has the right to farm and that certain zones AR and some others have the right to farm under any circumstances. However, the code enforcement officer consulted with the township engineer and they both came to the conculsion that you need a prexisting use in all zones AND be in the the AR zone and other certain Agricultural zones in order to have the right to farm. Also, they think the Agricultural properties limitations applies to residential properties when the line above it clearly shows with horses, that is not the case as horses also need 5 acres on Agricultural property.

 

[33yardbirds]

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Last night off hand my wife mentioned that a family in one of the developments in Medford Twp had 3 hens in the back yard. I am very familiar with these developments being I framed houses in most if not all of them. I will find out which one as all the houses really don't have more than an acre or so with 1/4 to 1/2 being the most common lot size. I will post again when I find out.

 

[mame1616]

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Last night off hand my wife mentioned that a family in one of the developments in Medford Twp had 3 hens in the back yard. I am very familiar with these developments being I framed houses in most if not all of them. I will find out which one as all the houses really don't have more than an acre or so with 1/4 to 1/2 being the most common lot size. I will post again when I find out.

Just realize they may not have them legally. Good luck.

 

[chikinmama]

Whats up Jersey!! WOOT WOOT!!!!!!! Our lil chicken house is in Brick, any neighbors?