Please Help Me

[ghf01]

hi, where I live is still considered county not city of pinellas county florida. my brother has had chickens for 10 years on his property with no problems. A new neighbor who just moved in has complained to code enforcement and now my brother is being told he has to get rid of his chickens in 2 weeks...i can't find any laws for the county when it comes to chickens that i know of?? is this true?? does he need to get a permit?? please help...thank you

 

[Camelot Farms]

Your best bet might be heading to your local town offices and ask to see the zoning laws if they arent available online. I never take the 'word' of the code enforcers, the neighbors or the town clerk. See it! Believe it!

 

[Karen_at_LittleBrook]

I would think he could apply NOW for any permit he may need, if he finds out he does need one... before the two weeks are up. I dont know all the ins and outs but the codes investigator should have given your brother a copy of the code. After 10 years of having chickens he may fit into a "Grandfather clause" where he's allowed to keep the ones he has but cant get new ones. Really? What kind of a jerk moves into the neighborhood and does something like that? I hope it works out for him, and I hope that he fights it all the way!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

If he is in county, then I highly doubt that chickens are illegal; he needs to find out the specific ordinances and read them for himself--people can complain about anything--whether there is any justification for action is another thing entirely.

 

[Texasboy4ever]

The only thing I could find in the codes was mainly about dogs and cats. However there is a Public Nuisance code. That refers to constant noise, foul odors, unsanitary conditions. But according to the code at least 2 people has to sign a complaint that live in seperate dwellings before they come out. I would fight this if only one idiot is trying to change my way of life. This is county code, if he lives in a municipality the codes could be different