The Tampa, FL city council will be holding a workshop to determine whether or not the city ordinance for owning chickens should be rewritten. It will be held at 9am on Thursday, April 26th.
Here are some links about the workshop if you're interested in learning more:
http://www.wmnf.org/news_stories/chickens-coming-soon-to-tampa-backyards-maybe
http://www.facebook.com/raisingbackyardchickens/posts/10150674329489236
If you live in Tampa, you probably know that the city allows chickens, but has such tight restrictions that it is practically impossible. The worst stipulation is that any poultry must be housed at least 200 ft away from your neighbors' homes. This means that the only sure-fire way to be allowed to have even a SINGLE chicken is to own a 400'x400' lot (over an acre) despite the fact that the city claims to allow chickens. In Tampa, most lots are about 50'x100'. Some are even smaller.
I am URGING any Tampa residents to either attend this workshop, where public comment WILL be allowed, or contact the city council and give them your opinion on being allowed to have chickens in the city.
You can write to the city council online here:
http://www.tampagov.net/appl_customer_service_center/form.asp?strServiceID=43
Or click on one of the names to write to one council member in particular.
Some points that you may wish to make clear to your council members:
- We are currently in a recession, and backyard chickens are the ONLY affordable source of cage-free, cruelty-free, organic eggs for many families.
- Although backyard chickens are legal, they are only an option for people who have over an acre of land within the city of tampa. Not impossible... but only if you have a LOT of money. Regular people can't do it.
- Some people may be concerned with chickens making noise, breeding disease, destroying property, etc. However, THERE ARE ALREADY LAWS that deal with these issues in domestic animals in general and they should not be considered in a set of rules that is specific to chickens.
-Even small changes to the current law would make a big difference to people who want to keep chickens. Perhaps the council would consider hens but not roosters? Or keep the ordinance as-is but reduce the 200 ft limit?
-Many people consider chickens their pets. Some even keep a single chicken for companionship and entertainment, just like a dog, cat, fish, or parrot.
-Many animals that ARE allowed in Tampa are messier, louder, more destructive, more feral, or more dangerous than chickens. Think about the opinions some people have on pit bulls- yet they are allowed. Yapping dogs, guard dogs, lizards, snakes, and rats are all allowed. Even potbellied pigs, though they used to be considered farm animals, are allowed as pets in Tampa.
-As it stands, the current regulations are not even enforced unless a complaint is made. This essentially means there is nothing wrong with owning chickens now, but if you get a neighbor on your bad side they can use it against you.
Please write or attend this meeting! We are almost there
Here are some links about the workshop if you're interested in learning more:
http://www.wmnf.org/news_stories/chickens-coming-soon-to-tampa-backyards-maybe
http://www.facebook.com/raisingbackyardchickens/posts/10150674329489236
If you live in Tampa, you probably know that the city allows chickens, but has such tight restrictions that it is practically impossible. The worst stipulation is that any poultry must be housed at least 200 ft away from your neighbors' homes. This means that the only sure-fire way to be allowed to have even a SINGLE chicken is to own a 400'x400' lot (over an acre) despite the fact that the city claims to allow chickens. In Tampa, most lots are about 50'x100'. Some are even smaller.
I am URGING any Tampa residents to either attend this workshop, where public comment WILL be allowed, or contact the city council and give them your opinion on being allowed to have chickens in the city.
You can write to the city council online here:
http://www.tampagov.net/appl_customer_service_center/form.asp?strServiceID=43
Or click on one of the names to write to one council member in particular.
Some points that you may wish to make clear to your council members:
- We are currently in a recession, and backyard chickens are the ONLY affordable source of cage-free, cruelty-free, organic eggs for many families.
- Although backyard chickens are legal, they are only an option for people who have over an acre of land within the city of tampa. Not impossible... but only if you have a LOT of money. Regular people can't do it.
- Some people may be concerned with chickens making noise, breeding disease, destroying property, etc. However, THERE ARE ALREADY LAWS that deal with these issues in domestic animals in general and they should not be considered in a set of rules that is specific to chickens.
-Even small changes to the current law would make a big difference to people who want to keep chickens. Perhaps the council would consider hens but not roosters? Or keep the ordinance as-is but reduce the 200 ft limit?
-Many people consider chickens their pets. Some even keep a single chicken for companionship and entertainment, just like a dog, cat, fish, or parrot.
-Many animals that ARE allowed in Tampa are messier, louder, more destructive, more feral, or more dangerous than chickens. Think about the opinions some people have on pit bulls- yet they are allowed. Yapping dogs, guard dogs, lizards, snakes, and rats are all allowed. Even potbellied pigs, though they used to be considered farm animals, are allowed as pets in Tampa.
-As it stands, the current regulations are not even enforced unless a complaint is made. This essentially means there is nothing wrong with owning chickens now, but if you get a neighbor on your bad side they can use it against you.
Please write or attend this meeting! We are almost there
