Sanford, NC family fined $1300 day for chickens!Update She Found US!!!

[Alexcritter]

Hello all. In answer to above there is no clause for educational purposes. However, we did get an ordinance passed this past summer. It is a fairly restrictive ordinance but for the meantime will suffice. The city is not very happy with me nor are the code enforcement folks......but my girls are happy!

 

[toyzbox]

All I can say is WOW!!!!....you are really something Alex. I just finished reading all of this and I'm blown away.
I know you said you did get an ordinance passed this past summer. Where you able to get all your girls back?

 

[farmraised86]

What ended up happening with all this? I stay in sanford down the rd from the courthouse but just outside city limits (the city limit sign is 10 ft from my property line) and im zoned agrecultural since 1918 when my house was built I'm worried about rezoning, I've heard about something called grandfathering but wouldn't know where to start

 

[Lurch77]

Grandfathering means that if they rezone where you live, or change an ordinance, as long as you lived there before the changes, they may not make you follow the new rules. For example let's say you have 30 chickens in your agricultural zone property right now. But the city annexes your property and changes your zone to residential. You're now a resident of the city and have to follow the ordinances they have. But they cannot make you get ride of your chickens. Since you had them before they made the change, you are grandfathered in. If you sold the house to someone else, they would not be grandfathered, since they would have moved in after the changes were made.
A more in depth description can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandfather_clause

 

[farmraised86]

Thanks a lot! So what if I have more than chickens like more of a hobby farm?

 

[Lurch77]

Generally, if what you have right now is legal, they would be grandfathered in. They can and often do add stipulations, though. Such as you may not be allowed to add more animals. Or you might not be allowed to replace any animals that die with new ones. Those type of decisions will come down to your local elected officials. If something like this does happen where you live, it's in your best interest to be as involved with those city decisions as possible. Talk to your mayor and elected councilmen, go to all city meetings, etc.

 

[farmraised86]

Sure thing thanks

Generally, if what you have right now is legal, they would be grandfathered in. They can and often do add stipulations, though. Such as you may not be allowed to add more animals. Or you might not be allowed to replace any animals that die with new ones. Those type of decisions will come down to your local elected officials. If something like this does happen where you live, it's in your best interest to be as involved with those city decisions as possible. Talk to your mayor and elected councilmen, go to all city meetings, etc.

 

[farmraised86]

Oh my!  You all are fabulous.  You have overwhelmed me with your kindness and helpfulness.  It is so refreshing to find people out there that care.


I have not had a change to read all of your comments, I will do that right after this post, I just wanted to get back to you all.  We have been in the newspaper (SanfordHerald.com) everyday.  We had a front page feature on 6/25 and everyday thereafter we have had letters to the editor about us (all positive).  I think many more are to come.


Here is where I am now:

My chickens are OK.  I have filed an appeal with code enforcement.  I will not win the appeal but it stays all fines until they get a board together and meet over my appeal.  This could take a month.


I have written a another letter to the editor stating the regulation I will propose to city council.  I want the public to know how reasonable they are.


I had contacted other TV and newspapers the same day I contacted WRAL.  The latter was the only once to respond.


I have a second tier of media to go to that includes national broadcast and a third tier to go to on specific topics.  For example I will contact Rachel Ray's show on the food network and discuss how healthy eggs and CNN with the economic benefits and Ellen on the green factor.  I am full of them.


I have a new slogan for our cause and soon to be a new city club.  CLUCKs  Children Lovers of Urban Chicken Koops!


The next city council meeting is July 15.  I will have kids out front at 6:30 with Egg shaped petition signs, I already have the permit to petition form from the Police department.


These old croagies here dont know they are messing with someone who has a marketing background and spent 8 years in NYC doing advertising.


Do not get me wrong......I really dont want to give Sanford a soiled name, I live here.  But when other cities can do this successfully and we have science  and health and economy behind us there is no reason to be close minded.


My kinds want to know if they can start preparing their birds for the county and state fairs coming up in a few months.


The $ fund is a really generous and sweet idea.  But it is not very practical.  However I would really appreciate it if you could start calling those council members and letting them know what city you live in and how it is working there.  Also, if you have any kids that want to make an egg shaped petition poster and send it to us, that would be great.  Any ideas on a logo for CLUCK.  Anyone you want to send that WRAL link to would be great (I think it will only be there for 30 days).  If you belong to any listserves send the info out.  I found you guys by googleing Sanford Chickens.


Thank you....I now know I have to check back here more often to get your great ideas.


Kindly,

Alex Reid

2117 Lee Ave

Sanford, NC 27330

I may be in your shoes in the near future if and when they decide to rezone, I live on courtland dr the rd by the lee co courthouse my land is zoned ag and has been since 1918 but I can throw a rock from my front door into city limits and now there's an old folks apartment complex on the other side of my private drive. They already called cops on my neighbor who is outside city limits aswell for having the music up at his kids birthday party... My chickens crow all day and sometimes at night but I'm not producing enough eggs to bribe them all lol