Portland, TN- no chickens within city limits?

[Okla-doodle-doo]

i live on the east side of town. I'm actually in the "country" but only by a row of houses! I have not ever heard of anyone being fined fore haveing them in town. There is someone on College street that raises show bantams! My son-in-law had some over in on e of the subdivisions off Scattersville road. As long as you keep them up I don't think you will have a problem. If you have close neighbors maybe not have a rooster!They will have to warn you first so I say go for it just use good neighbor policy!

 

[ilazria]

Awesome, my hope is restored

I didn't want to get a rooster anyway, so it's all good there. My kids get me up early enough as it is!

 

[ivanhoe72]

I am glad to have found this forum - at least I know I am not totally off base. My family also lives in Portland, TN, and we have had chickens in our backyard since December. Just this week we received notice from the city that we are in violation of the ordinances (no specific ordinance cited) and must abate in 10 days. I can't find any thing in the ordinances that we have violated. The chickens stay in an enclosed run and coop most of the time. Occaisionally, the boys let them out into our fenced-in backyard for short periods of time.

Could it be that there are separate zoning laws that are not included in the city ordinances that are available online?

Is there anyone else out there from Portland TN that can lend us some advice? The chickens belong to my sons, and they will be brokenhearted if we have to lose them.

 

[RoosterRidge]

It just breaks my heart that in the city limits no chickens are allowed.
I just don't get it. If they are not running loose what is the big deal.
I have also read where alot of you can have hens but no roos.
I grew up in the city and have lived in the coutry for almost 18 years.
When living in the city we were awakened at dawn by people mowing their lawns,
reving up their motors on their little pet projects and whatever else you could think of.
I wish I had a penny for everytime I have ran into an idiot. It always seems to be the ones
that don't have a clue about life. My girls give me such joy and I just crack up everytime I watch our boy taking care of his girls. He could teach these idiots a few things about life. I am so sorry that any of you have to go thru this. I fortunately was able to move here when I married my DH. I learned along time ago that people like this are misserable and they want everyone else to be misserable also. Good luck to all who have idiots for neighbors. Thankfully I don't have to look at mine except when they drive up the road. I don't have to see this neighbor but once in a blue moon but boy do I get to hear his dog barking 24/7. I would never say a word to him about his barking dog because that is his property just like this is mine. Don't come mess with me and I won't mess with you. I try to live by that motto. Just wish everyone else did.

 

[dretd]

Quote:
First of all,

Could you let us know what exactly the letter said: you state that it says you are in violation of the ordinances but it is not specific. Did it refer to your chickens in general? If there was no mention of chickens it could be anything like your lawn needs to be mowed. If it is the chickens, it could be anything related them and how could you abate something when you don't know what needs abatement?

There should be a number and contact info for the person that sent you the notice somewhere on it to call (at least there has been on the ones my city has sent to me

) so you can find out from the sender what its all about.

 

[ivanhoe72]

I don't have the exact wording in front of me, but the letter clearly said that chickens had been observed on our property (I suppose by neighbors) and that city ordinances did not allow livestock in residential areas.

 

[dretd]

Quote:
Bad News:
Under Animal Control

(apparently a new ordinanace #06-57 was added in 2007-did someone sneak it in under that heading hoping no one would notice?):
10-307. Compliance. (2) No owner, lessee, tenant or subtenant of any property, public or
private, located within the city shall keep, maintain or cause to be kept any
horses, mules, donkeys, cattle, swine, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, goats,
sheep, hares or similar animals or fowl either domesticated or non-domesticated
except under conditions set forth in the provisions of the municipal code of the
city. (as added by Ord. #06-57, Feb. 2007)
Honestly, I am not sure where to look for the 'provisions of the muni code' (it is important to find out exactly what those provisions are) but it looks like chickens were disallowed in 2007. It does not say anything about being grandfathered in if you owned these animals prior to 2007, but that may be a loophole elsewhere in the code.

And who would outlaw rabbits for cryin' out loud?!

 

[dretd]

Quote:
Even worse than the above chicken and bunny ban, I found this gem while trying to find the exceptions to the rule in 'the provisions':
Section 5 (Of Article I, page C-8). Be it further enacted, That all ordinances, now in force or
hereafter enacted, of a moral, criminal, quasi-criminal, sanitary or penal nature
shall apply to any and all surrounding territory within one mile of said corporate
limits. The City Council may by ordinance determine what constitutes a
nuisance within the city limits and within said above mentioned mile limit, and
regulate or abate said nuisance therein and within said mile limit. The
jurisdiction of the City, City Court, and the police powers of the City shall
include said one mile territory for the purpose of enforcing the above provisions
and the police power shall be co-extensive with that of a sheriff or his deputies
in the execution of any paper or process issued from said City Court, or in the
enforcing of any of the city ordinances.

They are now claiming that the ordinances apply one mile outside of the city limits and includes for 'sanitary purposes'. That's a pretty broad brush since some folks (ignorantly) state the reason to ban chickens and other livestock is for sanitary reasons.

 

[ivanhoe72]

That is the municipal code! The whole thing seem ambiguous to me. All I see is that they cannot run at large or be a "nuisance." If that is all then I would say we are "under conditions set forth in the provisions of the municipal code of the city. "

 

[no1hilbily]

10-101. Running at large prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any
person owning or being in charge of any cows, swine, sheep, horses, mules or
goats, or any chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, or other domestic fowl, cattle, or
livestock, to knowingly or negligently permit any of them to run at large in any
street, alley, or unenclosed lot within the corporate limits. (1980 Code, § 3-101)