South Pinellas County FL rules and article

[Dunnie's Mom]

I just found this article on our local chicken keeping-it was on a family who got in trouble and caused the law in Gulfport to be changed but at the end it lists the rules in all the cities in south pinellas.

The only thing I noticed different was instead of "no complaints from any household in 100 feet" in St Petersburg, they say you have to get permission from every homeowner within 100 feet. When I had my chicken, no one even knew she was here, except the neighbors kids who came by to pet her;-)

http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article927856.ece

 

[SewingDiva]

Thanks for posting that, it actually brings up something I think is a flaw in this type of ordnance or bylaw.

I have to say I don't like seeing this "need to get permission from abutter's" language; it's kind of a cop out. Properly worded bylaws for things like chickens really should have an objective standard that can be applied fairly. It's much fairer to have language requiring coop set backs from abutting property, "no roos" and limiting the number of birds than it is to rely on “permission” from your neighbors.

With this type of wording all it takes is one crazy neighbor to make your life difficult, and it also violates the sprit of "equal protection under the law" because it gives your neighbors more rights and power than you have.

Hopefully this family won't have someone new move next door who hates chickens!

Phyllis

 

[Dunnie's Mom]

Quote:
I agree-I have a new neighbor and am now not sure if I'll be able to get another chicken. I had planned on keeping her indoors in a parrot cage redesigned for chicken comfort, and only out when I'm there to look out for her but don't know if I can even do that if the new neighbor will get fussy about it.:-/

Luckily the people in the story live in Gulfport which has a better worded law (in the process of being finalized at least).

St Pete has oddly cobbled together laws it seems as there is a neighbor in my neighborhood who has 2 emu's, 2 ostriches, several chow dogs and I'm not sure what else(he used to have an orangutan in the 70's!) but he has enough money to do as he pleases and have his lawyer deal with the city.

 

[SewingDiva]

There is no harm in trying - and the guy who has all those animlas has set a precedent, which may work in your favor as well.

Phyllis

 

[lisas]

I am in St. Pete and have a nieghbor who hates all animals.He is trying t,o make me get rid of my doves ,parrots chickens,dogs,at one point he said ok and then denied it as I did not realize that the doves make noise all night.Instead of coming over and saying hey we have a problem he calls codes. So now they are all over me about everything.Lisa

 

[Dunnie's Mom]

Quote:

I am so sorry. It seems we have a lot of self absorbed people in st pete who love the idea of control far more than the idea of community.

Did they say it would be ok if the animals were indoor animals, in garage or something? Or is it just an attempt to force you to get rid of them entirely?

As I mentioned the guy above, who has the emu's and ostriches, has managed with a lawyer to keep his menagerie for over 30 years despite neighbors calling codes frequently(especially when the chow dog let the emu's out to run the neighborhood, that got on the news

so maybe if you could talk to legal aid, or a lawyer who specializes in animal cases.
It would be great if we could get our law to reflect the Gulfport one, as long as things ar clean and reasonably quiet the neighbors should have no business being involved imho.

I can't understand at all why it is legal to buy a house and cut down every single living thing on the property, raise the temperature, noise, pollution and stress for all the neighbors-but a chicken or a parrot is federal emergency in this county

 

[Dunnie's Mom]

Quote:
I figured I could get a bantam sultan and call it an expensive Australian Chook Parrot;-) or at least wait to take it outside til my landscaping fills in so people can't look in the yard so easily!

I've read about people who keep pet chickens in condos and apartments, so I guess it would be possible. My original chicken was from the state fair tho-genetically engineered to be completely HUGE so keeping her indoors became very silly very quickly;-)