In one of my former lives I was on the Planning and Zoning comission of a small town in Northern Mn. As such we had hearings on 'variances' to the Zoning code that could only be granted for 'hardship'. It was allways difficult to get people to believe that a residental (often called R-1), the primary goal was to provide conditions for orderly housing for people, not dog breeding, pot bellied pigs or chickens. For that matter business are usually restricted to. Of course domestic animals like dogs and cats were allowed, often in restricted numbers. There are rural areas, with larger lots where chicken/pigs/cows/goats are allowed, normally called farm animals. --When one buys a home in a R zoned district they are, and most want to be protected from there neighbor opening a store, or starting a farm with the conflicts each bring to a area that is intended mostly for residences. They expect domestic animals, not farm or business animals. They bought R zoning protection from this. -After being a city guy, I retired and bought a condo. Often condos do not allow animals of any kind (mine did allow small dogs and cats), and restrict hanging laundry on your balcony, T.V dishes and alot of other stuff. I had the City R-zoning code, plus the condo board restrictions. I got tired of it. --With my move to the mountains we bought a house in a unrestricted (not zoned) area. The up side is I can have livestock, and the down side is my neighbors can have livestock. The other down side is that the store/gas station/plant can also become my next door neighbor, and damage my hope of a quiet home life. There are always trade-offs. I wish I was zoned A- (farm) so I could be protected from stores and factorys, but for now unzoned works ----I have seen here in the hills where city folk have moved to the rural area then complain about cows and roosters so the area is zoned A-something (farm) so that the newcomers and city folk cannot complain as they intrude on farming. ---The short summary is that we have zoning to protect the primary interest in a area R- for housing and people first, C- or commercial for stores and A- for farming and the like. --Where I was I was protect from the disruption of my neighbors rooster, and where I am my neighbor is NOT protected from my rooster, nor am I from his pig farm. ----When I was on the zoning board we did not go looking for little violations, we responded to complaints. I am willing to guess that in the town I was in rabbits, chickens (hens) that remained out of sight would be ignored. We did have to respond when excessive numbers of dogs and cats disrupted the peace, and would have to respond to Rooster complaints. -----Of course if you have farm animals and the city moves in on you and the zoning tightens, your animals would likely be 'grandfathered' as a non-complying use. This only if the non-complying use is continuous. Don't even try the old argument that roosters pre-date R-zoning unless you have had chickens the whole time. ---I could have a Rooster, but do not as this area is getting build-up, and rooster's disrupt residentual uses. ---So really folks, watch your zoning, and if you violate keep it low key, quiet and small scale, and if you get caught, don't complain. Roosters in residental--you got to be inconsiderate, or nuts.
