Niagara Falls, NY - So it begins

[Gowest]

I went to the city hall here today, just curious as to the ordinances since I had considered the merits of raising chickens for a long time, and was probably only a handful of weeks away from getting everything together, so by spring I would have egg producing birds. Well, as a final go/no-go I had to physically go to the city hall and see what the ordinances said. Sure thing, I find this:

No person shall keep or cause or allow to be kept upon any property in the City or in any building located thereon, which property is classified in the Zoning Ordinances as a residential district, any bees, pigeons, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys or livestock.
• • •
[701.03 EXCEPTIONS FOR PIGEONS. Section 701.01 shall not apply to the keeping of a homing and/or racing pigeon loft within the City.]

Well, that won't due. Further inspection shows that you cannot seem to grow any sort of food within the city, or collect rain water in barrels, or compost. So, I take my issue up to the zoning office. They seemed amused at the idea of chickens being kept within the city limits, and said that Friday I need to call and make some appointments. I did some sniffing around today, spoke to a few people, and now there are apparently some people on my side trying to get me in touch with urban planning and urban farming movements in nearby cities. I'm not entirely sure what I've started or how to progress from here except talk to my contacts. This is a very set-in-its-ways city atleast 20 years behind the rest of the country, everything is an uphill battle..

Advice?

 

[Beer can]

This is a very set-in-its-ways city atleast 20 years behind the rest of the country, everything is an uphill battle..

Advice?

I'm lucky I live out in the country where I don't have to worry about it, I can have as many chickens and roosters I want.
The towns near me, very rural Walton NY, and others, and large town sorta small city I guess Oneonta do not allow chickens either. There was a fight about it I read in the Oneonta newspaper, the people want to have 'back yard chickens', the city said no. Then I read a article in the NY Times on how many rooster calls the police dept gets a year, they can have hens in NYC but no roos. NYC can have chickens!!, but the small towns around me can't. Doesn't make sense.

 

[Gowest]

So far not so good.

I spoke to the city clerk first off, who had a few remarks to make about how keeping chickens will end with keeping cows.
Then I spoke to Urban Planning, who told me that Chickens are horrible smelly animals that he tried to raise and regrets to this day, who told me he can't help.
Then I spoke to code enforcement, who told me he can't help and the council would never allow livestock in the city.

Its a bit crazy, especially considering Buffalo, just 30 minutes away and much larger, more successful and more densely populated in terms of buildings and people can keep chickens.

Next step is speak to the guy from Urban Farming again and see what to do now.

 

[Beer can]

Ridiculous ain't it.Chickens =cows, come on!
The largest city in the USA allows chickens!

 

[EggscellentRN]

Hi, I too live in the city of Niagara Falls and have been wanting chickens but didn't know where to inquire. When I google for information, I get nothing, but then today stumbled upon your post. I didn't know about not being permitted to grow food either. I am not sure how many people you have that are interested in this cause, but I am. I don't need a flock of hens or a rooster ( I can see how that would be a noise nuisance), just wanted two or three for fresh eggs. And you are correct in stating that this city is WAYYYYY behind in the times, look how long it took to get city issued garbage cans and recycling bins. Anyway, if you have anymore information, I would be interested in learning where in this process you are and what needs to be done to try and change those antiquated laws.
Thank you for any information

 

[fileve]

Hey there, I'm wondering what happened with the efforts to change the ordinances of NF, NY? My husband and I are planning to move there in a year or two with our 5 hens. We live in Bloomington, Indiana and am interested in being able to keep our hens when we move. We love our hens and the eggs they provide. They are neither overly noisy nor overly dirty. I would be willing to help with your efforts.

 

[baunlee]

LOVe when people don't come back to update posts SMH.

 

[Canamnf]

If they had of, poster would have found that by-law was updated No. 2002-152 and 1010-70, state that after 2005 max 10 chickens per property (this was actually pre above post) so they originally got wrong info and is on file with city.

 

[CCamroux]

That is Canada. I understand that you can not have back yard chickens in the city of Niagara Falls. Is anyone working to change this?

 

[Tclark88]

That is Canada. I understand that you can not have back yard chickens in the city of Niagara Falls. Is anyone working to change this?

I'd be willing to help with any efforts!