Trouble with the neighbor.

[Tala]

Under the title of "Confinement of Vicious Animals"

"It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having control of any chickens, ducks, or other fowl (darnit there goes my idea to replace them with guinies....) within the city to permit them to run at large after notice from the animal control authority that the chickens, ducks or other fowel are running at large. All pens or enclosures where the chickens, ducks, or toher fowl are kept shall be not less than 100 feet from any residence or business establishment."

It is 93ft from my back porch to the back fenceline (shared with the complaining neighbor) and even further to his actual "residence" so, yes I could get them far enough away from Mr Bully to satisfy the law. The animal control officer is up in arms that I can't get them "far enough" away from my side neighbors --- the ones who give the chickens treats and are not bothered by them.
Ideas are in the works to move the coop to my front yard away from back neighbor, and get signatures from the side neighbors. That's all I got

 

[TipsyDog]

I may be the only one here, but I almost agree with your neighbor. Why didn't you just be nice and explain that the roos will be processed shortly and the noise issue taken care of? He probably would have walked away happy knowing there is an end in sight to the noise. If you live in a grid (city like) streets, then I would think that 19 roos is a bit much to put over on your neighbors - legal or not.

Don't get me wrong - I love chickens too, but I wouldn't expect my neighbors to put up with that kind of noise nor would I want to be subjected to not being able to keep my windows open in the summer and enjoy my home. Roos are loud and just as annoying as barking dogs when you live that close to neighbors.

Now that you've been citied, the coop placement issue is mute. They will have to pursue this and silence the noise. Sorry about your chickens, but I'm alarmed at how alot of people here thought that damaging and threatening neighbors is OK. He was wrong in the first place, but obviously, this man was probably at his wits end and couldn't take it anymore. Being nice and apologizing to him is what I would have done...

 

[dsqard]

I still don't believe that they can give you only three days to "fix the problem" and the only fix is to get rid of the chickens. I would go with getting them 100' away from the complaining neighbor, get letters from the other two neighbors and see if you can file for a variance.

 

[WingingIt]

I'd be out there with my own video camera taping his dog barking. If my perfectly legal chickens are going to go because of noise, so is his dog if it makes a peep.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
I would have responded a whole lot nicer if he had come over and voiced his complaints WITHOUT THREATENING TO KILL MY ANIMALS! Belive me, he did NOT give me the chance to explain that they were already on their way out or see if anything could be worked out.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
It says 100 ft from any RESIDENCE. Since they are 93 feet from the property line, unless his house is 7' or less from the property line, that is not an issue. Get written permission (preferably notorized) from your other neighbors who are closer. Also, "At Large" almost always means unrestrained and OFF OF YOUR PROPERTY--in other words, wandering through the neighborhood. Unless it is specifically defined as something else in your code, they cannot be "at large" if they are on your own property.

Is there anything about noise nuisances or animal noises in your ordinances? Also, look up your due process procedure to challenge the ticket/order. Except in the case of imminent danger or emergency, I do not see how they can give you only 3 days. Your animals are not being cited as dangerous or vicious, so what is their grounds for the 3 days?

And DO file the harassment/stalking complaint.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

I agree with Redhen about the police involvement. Have you contacted them at all Tala? I also agree it doesn't sound right that they would only give you 3 days to get rid of your chickens. Have you called to talk to the animal control officer's supervisor? If you haven't, I would. I would not just roll over freely to those on a power trip.

Fight Tala Fight!

 

[zazouse]

Build your coop under your porch if it is high enough, my chickens love it under my decks , but they are 3 foot off the ground, just a thought.

Sorry you got such a tool for a neighbor, but they are everywhere, i have one and i live on 100 acres.

 

[Boyd]

go without a coop. We get around a "permanent Structure" rule without a permit all the time... Put your coop on wheels... Now it's a temporary shelter and your birds live in your yard just like dogs, cats, rabbits etc would.

 

[drumstick diva]

I wonder if the guy doesn't have a buddy with animal control. Many years ago when I did dog grooming in the basement, an officer showed up and said I couldn't do that in a residential neighborhood. He said he was from the mayors office. We lived in Chicago at the time. It turned out a grooming shop operator had her buddy (a cop) come out to our home. My mom called the mayor's office and found out it was a sham. Unfortunately when she called then they did inform her you couldn't have a business in a residential area. The grooming shop bee atch wanted to kill the competition, I was still in high school and barely doing 4-5 dogs a week. Well boo hoo, I opened a shop in a business area and ended up getting a great deal of her former customers. What goes around comes around.

The 3 days does seem awful short and I would think they would tell you, you could appeal or something. It just smells funny to me.