Transitioning from roofed to roofless run

[K0k0shka]

If he is flipping the house maybe that’s why he’s being such an A-hole because he thinks it might affect his sale. Still no excuse to be such a PITA! Good luck!

He’s not flipping it. He wants to raise kids here and said he’ll be here “for a very long time”. His wife is actually the main driver of the opposition, and I think she talked him into this because he was friendly before she got involved. I think her idea of kids is one that doesn’t include animals within a 150 feet radius (the distance she wants the town to enforce). DRAMA.

 

[MarkJr]

Approach the board, tell them I built my coop on x date. They moved in on y date. They moved into the situation they are now wanting to ‘change’

I’d definitely fight fire with fire.

 

[Hidrainja4]

The term is "Grandfathered in" Your structure was there before they moved in so they new about it. You structure was approved by zoning. There is "Precedent" a legal term for what was legally decided before. Temporarily monofilament line strung back and forth over the top will protect your flock and is inexpensive. In hind site you could have given them a dozen eggs when they moved in.

 

[JP234]

With a neighbor like that it doesn’t matter what you do. He/she is just enjoying the trouble they make. I’d put a ridge bar down the middle above and use a tarp. If the town is enforcing just to shut them up they get the cover (no pun int) to tell your neighbor it’s just a temporary structure. Then, after a season, ask the neighbor which they prefer.

 

[countryladyNH]

This is, IMO, very wrong.

Not to be political, but it strikes me as un-American for rules to be based on complaints and the whims of officials instead of written laws that clearly tell people what is and is not legal with nothing to prevent people from making frivolous complaints about things that were not against the rules until some individual with nothing better to do deciding to complain.

You are SO RIGHT!
If it could be afforded, I would suggest he get a lawyer. I think he would win, AND get to keep his run as it is!!! That would then be all legally decided and the neighbor would have nothing more he could do! (Boy, what a miserable, crabbyass neighbor!)

 

[aart]

Whoa... I have 100+ alerts from this thread just overnight! Not sure what happened exactly and where it got featured, but wow.

@K0k0shka The thread got featured in the emailed newsletter, thus the influx of replies made without reading and/or understanding the situation.....just making the thread longer and longer and longer.

 

[countryladyNH]

Another crafty idea I had is that I can get a bunch of camouflage netting and stretch it vertically above the 6-foot privacy fence, to make a taller privacy wall and further block his view of the chickens (and, most importantly, block my view of HIM to stop my adrenaline level from spiking whenever I hang out with my chickens in that area).

We love this idea!!! LOL, let's see how this jerk would like looking at a wall of camouflage netting like a military camp instead of the chickens!! go for it!!!! Maybe your nice clear roof would seem more appealing.

 

[countryladyNH]

First thing I would do is ask for a complete copy of the law, everything. I would then look at the LETTER of the law. I would then ask a lawyer friend or seek a lawyer who would do a free consultation and then ask them to review your setup versus the LETTER of the law, not the intent. If you meet the LETTER of the law he doesn't stand a chance and I would go after him for harassment. Two can play that game.

YES!!!!!!!! Paying a lawyer to do this would probably end in your favor, and save you from having to remove the roof, and spend more replacing it, etc. I would fight this for sure.

 

[countryladyNH]

Yeah, not a lot of real options in terms of live plants, because I want coverage year-round.

I was thinking of getting some of this - lightweight, obscures the view but lets wind move through:
View attachment 2381746 View attachment 2381751

Not for the roof - the building commissioner told me not to put anything over it, not even greenhouse plastic - but to stretch it above the privacy fence to extend it up another 10 feet or so.

That is a great idea. I would definitely do that if I were you. I bet the guy would have a complete freak out and accuse you of making it look like an military base nextdoor, LOL. Maybe then your nice clean corrugated roof would be acceptable!!!

 

[countryladyNH]

We read your original post thoroughly and all the other 27 pages of posts. We looked at your beautiful coop and run. We live in NH, and we have a run with a 'roof' of the same clear corrugated plastic that yours has. We agree with everyone here who advises you to FIGHT THIS. Before we would ever remove our run roof, we would fight this all the way. The folks here who said that your plans were approved long ago, that you were grandfathered in and that the neighbor moved in AFTER that when the coop and run were already in place are correct.
We truly believe you would win any legal battle regarding this. As advised by others here, we agree and also advise you to leave the roof on, and consult a lawyer. A first consultation could be free and you would be advised on what kind of a letter to write. We would first go get a copy of ALL the laws/ordinances, and highlight every single thing applicable. Then consult an attorney. We truly think the guy doesn't have a leg to stand on. Additionally the commissioner is NOT "compromising"---He is going back on what he told you and approved years before, and now asking you to change what he sanctioned to MAKE THINGS CONVENIENT FOR HIM, and a PITA neighbor go away! This is ridiculous! There IS a precedent here, and your 'run roof' is NOT illegal or against any town ordinance! PLEASE fight this for all chicken lovers. If you cave on this, there will only be something else. It will never end, because THE PROBLEM IS NOT YOUR COOP OR RUN OR EVEN CHICKENS. THE PROBLEM IS AN UNHAPPY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAPPENS TO LIVE NEXTDOOR, AND WHO'S LIFE MISSION IT IS TO MAKE CONTINUAL TROUBLE IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, FOR OTHERS.
I would fight to keep my coop and run exactly as I designed it, as it was approved, and constructed! This also sends a better message to the jerk neighbor, that you WILL STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS and not back down. Please keep updating. We're all sending good wishes and hoping for a great outcome for you.