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

Here is the code for Sanford regarding Fowl... I find it interesting that in Section 4-5 they say they're not allowed, while in section 4-6 they regulate what type of enclosure! I got this from municode.com - you can find almost every city's code there.
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Sec. 4-5. Keeping of swine, poultry and goats.
No person shall keep or harbor within the city any pig, hog or other animal of the swine variety, chickens or other animal of the poultry variety, or any goats.
(Ord. No. 1998-26, § 93.04, 7-7-1998)

Sec. 4-6. Pens, coops and other enclosures.
(a) Location; sanitary maintenance. Pens, coops, and other enclosures and places where animals or fowl are kept or fed shall be located at such distance from dwellings and places of human activity, and at such distance from sources of water and food supply or preparation, as may be necessary to protect the public health. All such pens, coops, and other enclosures and places shall be maintained at all times in a clean and sanitary condition and so as not to constitute a public nuisance or give offense to persons in the vicinity thereof. Refuse therefrom shall be removed at least once per day and disposed of in a lawful and sanitary manner.
(b) Violations. The city manager, upon complaint by any responsible person, or on his own volition, may cause an appropriate city officer or animal control officer to investigate any pen, coop or other enclosure or place where any animal or fowl is kept or fed, and if the facts developed by such investigation appear to be in violation of subsection (a) of this section the city manager may direct the offender to take such corrective action as may be necessary, upon pain of prosecution for the violation if the offender fails to comply with the directive of the city manager.
(Ord. No. 1998-26, § 93.05, 7-7-1998)
 
Hey gang!

Isn't the code silly!

Anyway, bad news on two fronts.

It appears our local newspaper, Sanford Herald, has blacked out anything regarding this issue, despite the fact that the editor agreed to have a beer with me this past Monday. I have heard nothing from him since Monday and he has not published letters to the editor that I know he received because he sent non computer generated "thank you's" for submitting them. Our current Mayor used to be the editor of that same newspaper.....wonder if she contacted the owner Bill Horner.

Also received a letter from code enforcement stating they have assembled a housing board and they will meet on my appeal on August 12th. This appeal I will not win.....it was just to buy me some time. However I will bring up the silly ordinance issues.

Discouraging day!

Alex
 
Alex, Maybe you should call the editor of the Sanford Herald directly... and even go over to the office if nessecary. I know the N&O already did an article on your story, you could contact that reporter and give them an update! Have you contacted anyone else in the Capital? Maybe contacting WRAL or NBC17 will get you more support? I know the reporter Kerry Hall is staying on top of our struggle here in Wake Forest... If I were you, I would do my own 'article' and publish it anywhere I could... small local papers, county papers, online 'public' sites... anywhere you can... Good luck!
 
Alex,

Right now the most important thing to do is have a majority of well behaving, polite people to support you on August 15th.
I would have as many signed petitions to allow backyard chickens as possible. Make several copies of all the petitions (make sure the signatures are valid ~ no Mickey Mouse signatures) and hand them to each person deciding.

Carla
Thanks for the updates!
 
Hey gang!

I need some of you to please go to the Raleigh News and Observer and leave comments on the article. They will see that there is still an interest in this topic. Also, I am trying to put together another icaught spot and will need you to go leave comments for that.

To clarify.....the next city council meeting is Aug. 2 and the housing board meets on Aug 12. I will not win the latter even if I make another presentation to city council on Aug. 2. I am afraid I will have to give up my girls and hope the fight continues and I can get them back.

I guess my kids will miss out on the fairs this year. Maybe (I am just creating this thought now) they can enter the fairs photography contests and take pucture of the chickens adapting to their new home.

Alex
 
This is such a shame. Have you tried going higher than the city council or mayor? This is an election year and you might even be able to get someone at the state level involved here. It's amazing what politicians will do for some votes!
 
Thanks for the comments:

Two things!

Next year is an election year for the Mayor and 3 councilmenbers.

Also, the unique thing about this situation is there is NO, repeat, NO higher place to go. There is no provision in the Sanford Charter that allows for a ballot initiative.......California can put anything the citizens want on the ballot.....not Sanford North Carolina. Also, according to the State Attorney General, due to the certain way the original 13 colonies were organized, there is no oversight of cities. This was confirmed when the Governor's office said "we are not responsible, go to the county" and the county said the same. This situation is similar to the Heller versus DC gun ban case that was recently overturned by the Supreme Court Justices. Thirty Two years ago the City of DC said No to guns unless rendered disables. Because they are one of the cities established in the original 13 colonies there was no oversight. It took 32 years for that to finally be overturned based on the Constitution. I am not aware of any Constitutional provision allowing me to have chickens despite municipal laws. I could go the route of freedom of persecution based on race, religion, yada, yada, yada. But we all know that despite the Constitution "fear" has dictated policy and people are still fighting that today.....Two Hundred Years later.

I am sorry, I dont mean to be negative. I am just having a hard time coming up with my next strategy. I just didnt know that in my life I would be fighting "fear." I am used to being around rational, logic people.

Alex
 

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