Quick City Limit Question

[SunshineSteedFarm]

Hello I have just a quick question, I was wondering if you are out of city limits, are you able to have chickens?

Thank you!
SSF

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Usually, though it does depend on your city/county laws. Where are you???

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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Ummm, I think you meant STATE/county

 

[valereee]

Depends on the laws in your township/county/state. In the unincorporated townships in our county (Hamilton County, OH) you can have chickens if their coop is at least 100 feet from every property line.

Where are you located?

Val

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[SunshineSteedFarm]

Ok. In my county ordinances I found these regarding poultry...

It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having control of any chickens, ducks, horses, cows, goats, pigs or any other type of animal, livestock or other fowl within the county to permit them to run at large or be a menace or nuisance to such person's neighbors or the public in general.

Agricultural operations as defined in O.C.G.A. § 1-3-3, "Definitions", to include raising, harvesting or storing of products of the field or orchard; feeding, breeding or managing livestock or poultry; producing or storing feed for use in the production of livestock, including but not limited to cattle, calves, swine, hogs, goats, sheep, and rabbits or for use in the production of poultry, including but not limited to chicken, hens and turkeys; producing plants, trees, fowl, or animals; the production of aqua culture, horticultural, dairy, livestock, poultry, eggs and apiarian products; farms buildings and farm ponds;

Noncommercial agricultural uses, including poultry, horses and livestock raising, as an accessory use to a single-family dwelling for the principal benefit of the occupants thereof. Noncommercial agricultural uses, at a minimum shall meet the following:
(a) All related accessory buildings, pens or corrals, for housing or confining animals, or for storing feed or equipment, or for similar purposes shall be located at least 100 feet from all property lines and 200 feet from any existing off-site residential dwelling.
(b) The lot/parcel shall be of adequate size to accommodate the 200-foot setback as specified in [subsection] 2(a).
(c) The grazing area shall be maintained in viable grasses and herbages to reduce erosion and prevent unsanitary conditions. The grazing area is the area of the parcel/lot wherein livestock are confined for the purpose of feeding on growing grasses and herbages.
(d) The lot/parcel shall comply with any local, state, federal, or other laws regarding livestock.

 

[valereee]

So do you qualify? The 100' from any property line means you need an acre, and then of course the distance-from-neighboring-houses thing.

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[possumqueen]

And of course you have to take into account any home owners' covenants if you live in a subdivision.

I used to work for animal control, and we only enforced COUNTY ordinances. We did NOT enforce home owners' associations rules, much to their dismay. But some of the HOAs enforce their own rules, and they can literally foreclose on a home if the owners don't comply.

This is why I think neighborhoods with HOAs and covenants are just about the bottom of the pits as places to live!

 

[PineappleMama]

Based on those rules, it looks like you CAN have poultry/livestock BUT...

They cannot ever be At Large... meaning if one chicken gets bold and visits your neighbor you could could be cited or even lose the right to have them. So, free ranging would have to be confined in some way ... maybe a 6' chickenwire fence (not so much protection for hawks or snakes but it would keep the chicks in) just to be safe?

If your neighbor's house is right on the property line then you have to put your animals* 200' from that, not just 100' which could be annoying. And that is all around, not just one fence line, every line. 100' from the front, back, and both sides... X marks the spot of where your coop could be (and remember to measure the outside border of the run/graze area not just from the coop) of course, that X could be right smack where your human house is... acre is loosely measured at 208 feet... if yours happens to be that exact, then you could have an 8'x8' run AND coop smack in the middle of your acre and you'd be okay on the 100' rule... but again, if your neighbor's house is less than 100' from their fence then you'd be in trouble... if you moved it over then you'd be less than 100' from the other side. And the whole rest of that acre outside that 8'x8' square could not be used for ranging or even to store your feed.

*It's not just your animals that can't be within 100' of your fence. You can't so much as have a stockpond (lose definition of aqua culture) or a shed with grain or even a mower within 100' of the fence AND again with the 200' near another's home. You pasture/grazing area can't be within 100' of the fence/200' house either... what a waste of land!! Maybe that's where you could plant some veggies, or fruit bushes, or trees? Figgy bushes or blueberry could help with nosey neighbors and provide nummy fruit too. Sorry, got off track a bit.

Oh, and a small warning: I'm a paranoid, particularly about nitpicky laws and annoying dramatic neighbors so forgive if I sound a little doom and gloom. And sorry for the rambling. Just can't stop with the tangents. Too many years in brainstorming training, my mind just goes off on a million paths.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Find out what the setbacks are for a house--that will tell you how much space is needed in addition to 100'--but note that it says existing homes, so if there are no homes closer than 100' then you don't have to worry about it.

More and more states are disallowing HOAs to foreclose based upon non-compliance to rules or even based upon owing fines.

 

[PineappleMama]

I can't begin to understand that HOA stuff. Back a ways there was a retired military fella, had a Go Army or some such sticker on his car. They went after him. Because he was Advertising, and no advertisements are allowed in the division. Nevermind that cars must be parked in the garage, so the only time you see said 'ad' is when he's driving through, and ANYONE can drive through.... oh and also nevermind all the snotty soccer mom's sporting "My child is an honor student at Snobbity Prep School"... no THAT'S not advertising... or the fact that your car has WestWay Ford painted on it... or has Ford period... this poor guy, thought he'd retired into a peaceful place after a long career and instead finds himself on a battlefield once again.

For some people... the only way they can feel good about themselves is if they are pointing out the flaws in others... make someone else crawl and you'll feel taller... it's a disgusting attitude IMHO but sadly common. Sadder still is that it's allowed and even embraced. Just think how bad these people's kids are going to be.