Urgent help and advice needed (Deltona, FL)

[wayner123]

I just read those rules. Wow, those seem to me to be really nit picky and restrictive. Right down to telling you how to store your feed.


ii. Neither the coop nor run, nor any part thereof, shall be located between the rear of the principal structure and the front yard lot line.

I had to reread that four times before I understood what it was saying. No coops on the side of the house.

It is pretty restrictive, especially the part about waste in an airtight container (which won't work for me as I want to use it in compost). But it's well written and in the language of planning and zoning people. It also shows how this isn't just something I put together as a whim.

BTW, on a whole other note, when I was researching different codes, I came across one that stated that the bedding had to be raked clean every 24 hours. Now THAT is restrictive. You wouldn't ever be able to go on vacation.

 

[Kikiriki]

I am raising chickens to have a healthy source of food and to reduce our grocery bill (have you seen the price of meat? Eggs will have to do!). I also want them to help control bugs around the perimeter of the house and in the yard without having to use toxic chemicals which could be very dangerous to children or pets, not to mention everyone and else including wildlife.

Dont ask for just one chicken. (Three is the smallest number that I'd go with.) This is for the chickens welfare. (if one gets sick, she can be isolated without the other of a pair freaking out over being alone.) A pair is better than one, though.

Chicken poo has value for the garden and lawn, whereas dog and cat poo are harmful, and cats poo or urine (?) can be harmful to fetal development and young children.

Chickens are quieter than dogs or other common housepet type birds like parrots.

I saw another thread that someone posted and a local ordinance had a weekly cleaning requirement. That would help with odor concerns.

If they insist on a minimum setback from neighbors, have them put in an exception to vary from it if the close neighbor(s) signs an affidavit stating that they dont mind the chickens.

Coop size amd run area would be okay to define, as well as square foot of yard available to determine number of chickens allowed.

Good luck!

 

[wayner123]

Here is an update.

First off thank you to all who gave advice and help. It is greatly appreciated.

Secondly, the meeting went much better than I had anticipated. It seems that the ordinance against allowing chickens was simply put in place when Deltona was incorporated into a city. The meeting went very well and thanks to all the resources on here I was able to answer every concern they had and provide them with enough information to continue the process.

I am now in the next step of the process. It is going before the city commission this Thursday!!

I am in a rush now to get together more support from the community. Again, as I said in the first post, I am new to all of this and I am not the best at gathering support (I pretty much keep to myself), but we need to be able to fill up the room. I ask the community here that if anyone lives in Deltona, to PLEASE be at this meeting.

Also, if anyone has any ideas on how to get people to come to this meeting I am all ears!

 

[wayner123]

Well, yet another update. We had the meeting yesterday evening with all of the city council, the mayor and vice mayor, along with they city attorney, animal services director, and 2 members of the press. Pretty much everyone except 2 commissioners.

It went very well. They decided to move forward with the proposal and the next step is approval by the entire council on what the city attorney's language and proposal will be.

I really need help in getting enough support to help offset any negative issues or people. Any ideas on how I can go about doing that?

 

[Gigiintheforest]

Try getting your local newspaper involved - at least a notice of the meeting. I'd do this only if I'm sure that public opinion would be on my side... Also go to your local farmer's market and talk to people there. Many of them raise chickens or are willing to share expertise.

 

[wayner123]

Try getting your local newspaper involved - at least a notice of the meeting. I'd do this only if I'm sure that public opinion would be on my side... Also go to your local farmer's market and talk to people there. Many of them raise chickens or are willing to share expertise.

Thank you for the ideas. Both of the newspapers from this area were there and they took one of my proposals and also my contact information. I hope they will spin it in a favorable light.

I am also going to reach out at the 2 farmer's markets around here. Hopefully they will give me the time of day.

 

[k3llyVA]

Make a flyer with some info and post it wherever you can. Maybe some local merchants will allow you to post your flyer in a window, or look for bulletin boards around town that allow the public to post notices- your library, post office, grocery stores, parks? Hand them out at your farmers' markets.

Perhaps you can follow up with the newspaper reporters- give them a call and offer to provide any additional information they might need. Give them a little push! Give them your rebuttal in advance to the usual negative comments and misinformation that will inevitably come up.

How about neighborhood associations? They often have newsletters, or maybe you could offer to give a presentation at one of their meetings.

And be sure to dress the part and show your support for chickens with one of my awesome t-shirts:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/640458/chicken-t-shirts#post_8617055

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Maybe you could reach out to places that will potentially sell chicken feed to new chicken owners in the area. I don't know if you have the Tractor Supply chain of stores down there, but places like that would be a good spot to post fliers or talk to employees. Maybe you could talk to folks at independently owned pet stores, too.

Contacting folks at the farmers market is a great idea.

Post on BYC's Florida state thread, too:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/305793/florida-always-sunny-side-up/7720

 

[wayner123]

I just wanted to update this thread with a link to an article in the largest newspaper in Central Florida regarding chickens. It seems I am not in the fight alone and there are a good number of urban chicken movements going on at the same time.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com..._chicken-owners-pet-chickens-healthy-chickens

 

[Gigiintheforest]

Maybe you could reach out to places that will potentially sell chicken feed to new chicken owners in the area. I don't know if you have the Tractor Supply chain of stores down there, but places like that would be a good spot to post fliers or talk to employees. Maybe you could talk to folks at independently owned pet stores, too.

Contacting folks at the farmers market is a great idea.

Post on BYC's Florida state thread, too:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/305793/florida-always-sunny-side-up/7720

Feed stores are a really good idea. After all, you are possibly boosting their business.