Prince William County, Virginia

[TabbyG]

Whew - what a headache! I just don't understand some of these ordinances... they absolutely blow my mind. Nice work, Vic - show them how beneficial chickens are!

 

[Sa Minhui]

Hi Vic,

We just bought a house here last August (before I found out about the county ordinances). We live on 5 acres zoned for agriculture 1/4 mile on the wrong side of Bacon Race Road. I was so agitated to find out that we were right outside the overlay boundaries. My HOA won't accept requests to change their rules because it is illegal according to county law. Is there anything in the works to expand the overlay or just make it legal county wide? Who is voting against it (read: who should be voted out of office)?

Thanks!

Megan

 

[tvcole]

Megan,
I'm not aware of any efforts to expand the rights of citizens in Prince William. We found that you have to be tenacious and have to be the squeaky hinge. There's little recognition of inherent rights of citizens within the PWC Supervisors. There's an almost racist undertone that those who like chickens must be lower class. I found it quite offensive. That, coupled with the lack of courage on the part of some, left me disgusted with the whole group. I believe your supervisor is Michael May. He was willing to talk, but not willing to budge. More voices might help.
Sorry I don't have better news.
Vic

 

[Sa Minhui]

I can be a squeaky wheel!

So, the county supervisors are the ones that vote on it? What do the commissioners do? Do they play a role in it? Are there open meetings? I'll go to every one. When is the election for new county supervisors? Hmm... is being a county supervisor a full time job or is it something extra one does on the side? Maybe I could run, I'm a veteran, I at least have that going for me.

Any information you have is helpful! I'm still learning about the area.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Check out the following link. It gives date/time info and agenda for PWC board of supervisors meetings. http://www.pwcgov.org/government/bocs/Pages/BOCS-Landing-Page.aspx

 

[tvcole]

In other jurisdictions they're called comissioners; here's they're supervisors. Same role. They are the people in charge. There's a planning commission that vets issues and hands them off to the supervisors. The planning commission has the same composition as the board of superrvisors - positions are actually filled by appointment by the individual supervisors. Usually the voice of the planning commission carries the day at the BOCS (board of county supervisors). In our case, when they voted to allow chickens on 1+ acres countywide, it failed at the BOCS on a tie vote. We also have a Yahoo group called princewilliamcountypoultry - more info posted there.

 

[Laine]

Do you remember at all how Mrs.Caddigan voted? She will be our supervisor once we move into the house we're buying. I noticed we are outside of the overlay area, so I assume she's someone to vote out and endlessly hound with letters in the meantime? We may close on our house before the November 20th meeting, is that one we should attend?

 

[Dee5385]

I'm trying to get some information for Prince William County that's current. They bury this stuff on their website and I can't seem to find anything. I'm trying to figure out what's allowed as far as my property location, quantity of birds, are roosters allowed etc. Also, does anybody know where I could find information on claiming a farm for tax purposes?

 

[Monguire]

Dee -

I'm in PWC (right off Hoadly) and this link will allow you to see the Domestic Fowl Overlay District for the County. Basically, it shows where poultry are allowed in the County if you live on a SR (semi-rural residential) zoned lot of 1 acre or more. If you are zoned agricultural, the laws are slightly different but the key take-aways are being zoned A or SR and having a lot size over 1 acre to be a legal Backyarder in the county.

The new zoning regulations allow the keeping of chickens, pigeons, doves and other domestic fowl on any A-1 zoned property of at least one acre. In addition, on properties zoned SR-1, SR-3 and SR-5 with a minimum of one acre by Special Use Permit and on parcels of 10 acres or larger.

The maximum number of fowl allowed is proportional to the lot size. One bird unit per acre is allowed for properties of 1 to less than 5 acres, three bird units per acre for properties of 5 to less than 10 acres. There is no limit on the number of bird units allowed on properties greater than 10 acres. A bird unit is:
10 chickens (though only one rooster per acre) or
6 ducks or
4 turkeys, geese or pea fowl or
1 ostrich or emu
20 pigeons, doves, or quail

 

[Gabe12723]

Has anyone had to go through obtaining an SUP in prince william county yet. I am in the review process with the planning commission and need some help I think. There are some of my neighbors who have called to share there opinions and are trying to stop me from obtaining the permit. Is this even possible after the overlay was developed is this not the right of every homeowner in the overlay ?