*sigh* might be the end of the road for me

[jennifer11]

and all before i ever got on the road...

i finally got a hold of someone at zoning and backyard chickens aren't allowed. *sigh*

i know a lot of people just go ahead, but i don't want to knowing that at any time, it could be taken away.

i'm really upset (almost to the point of tears) because i was SO looking forward to being a chicken mama.

i have no idea if or how i could fight it, either...


sad in SC.

 

[Chickenmaven]

Find the code - online or pick up a copy. This forum has been full of tales of how county/city/township employees have misquoted or misinterpreted the rules. And read the ordinances carefully. I was speaking with another chicken owner in my township. He said he was surprised that I am so chatty about my birds - "after all, we are lawbreakers, aren't we?" It seems that he looked up our ordinances, online, and read down to the 4th or 5th section, which defines a farm as 40 acres or more. Well, the seventeenth section outlines exceptions to the other codes. That is where I found my permission. My neighbors on one side are absolute horrors. No way I was gonna try to pull a fast one.

Anyway, don't rely on anyone else to interpret codes for you. Good luck!

edited for spelling

 

[saddina]

Here's what I can dig up:

Summerville, SC. It shall be unlawful for any person to permit or allow any chickens, ducks, geese or other poultry of any kind or description to run at large.

(to me this says " no free ranging")

http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/chickenlaws.html

I found this information on at least 6 different sources, which is all that is required for academic citing. Seems it's legal, you just can't have them loose.

 

[ClayChicken]

I looked up law definitions in South Carolina and it has Live Poultry as a specific term separate from "livestock". In other words, there are laws that refer to "livestock and live poultry", there are laws pertaining to "live poultry" and there are laws that pertain to "livestock".

 

[saddina]

Quote:
The law I cited for your city refers distictly to poultry and not to livestock (which means the city ordinaces makes a distinction in themselves). So you have poultry (legal when penned) instead of Livestock/farm animals (thier dinstinction in the code, not mine). I'd say your tush is covered, just print out the link I googled ya incase anyone comes knocking.

 

[sparkles2307]

I sowwie! What a disapointment!

 

[Cetawin]

Well what about getting a couple of little silkies to have as house chickens? You could still be a chicken mama.

 

[ranchhand]

jennifer11, I am so sorry.

I am in Hollywood, SC, what city/town are you in? Keep in mind, that sometimes the people in offices are mistaken, and also that variances can be obtained with the right approach.

 

[jennifer11]

i'm in dorchester county... i live in Summerville but it's not city limits.


do you have any advice on the variances?

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

Quote:
If you are outside the city limits. Then city rules shouldnt apply to you.. I would think you could have chickens. I was online all day yesterday looking up my town and the town that is right accross the bridge from me. Still cant figure out if both towns run off of one set of rules.. Just do a google search for your city codes and ordinances.. You might be surprised. Or call your county office and see if out of city limits applies to you. You should be under county law instead of city.. I hope people with more experiance with this can help you out.