Want to try to change a law, knowing I will fail. Pointers?

[Yanna]

Quote:
Erin,

There are many cities that do permit poultry and livestock and something that you could do is find examples of municipal codes from these places (Seattle is one - 3 chickens per household are permitted). If you feel uncomfortable attempting to address the City Council yourself, see if you can align yourself with an advocacy group. People who advocate for community gardens, for example, are usually people who have some experience in addressing local lawmakers. One of the main things in addressing a group like a city council is not to be hostile or treat them as if they are stupid, but to bring to their attention the many benefits of poultry keeping in the city. Be prepared with lots of big nice photos of successful urban chicken keeping and excerpts from books and articles that address the subject from a public policy perspective. Be sure and tap into existing local ordinances re: noise and health nuisances - these existing laws can be an argument that there is no need for a poultry ban as safeguards against abuses are already in place.

Be prepared to answer really dumb-sounding questions with a generous spirit, knowing that you are creating in image in these folks' minds of what an urban chicken keeper looks and sounds like. How you conduct yourself will probably impact how future poultry advocates are received. The more positive images of chicken keeping and examples of good city code relating to this you can produce and the more positive and enthusiastic you are, the more likely you are to overcome their objections or at least soften them for a future proposal.

Summary of Municipal Poultry Laws - A Good Starting Place
http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/chickenlaws.html
Seattle City Code RE: Poultry Via Seattle Tilth:
http://www.seattletilth.org/resources/articles/citychickensregulations
Madison, WI Code RE: Poultry
http://library4.municode.com:80/min...9b654557bc9275a2f61cbecb523723&infobase=50000


It may not be as hard as you think. Just do your homework!

They will respect you for it.

Best of luck,
Yanna

 

[ehurt]

This is the petition paragraph I worked on a little. As I said, I'm not so good with words. I also have a kind of weird way of talking, going off on tangents everywhere with parentheses. I think it is too long, and people won't want to read it, but I also want to try and convince them to sign it:



We, the citizens of Norman, OK, petition to modify the municipal code to allow such small “domesticated farm animals” as chickens, small dairy goats, and so on, but not necessarily cows, horses, or other such large animals. Sec. 3-501 basically allows them if you have enough space to contain them 20’ from property lines and 100’ from residences, making it impossible for many of us to keep them, thereby not allowing access to great pets, cruelty-free food without added antibiotics and hormones, nontoxic fertilizer for our gardens (where we can grow more of our own food!), nontoxic pesticide, and less pollution (no factories or semi trucks). The law should be changed as it is both unfair and unnecessary. A responsible owner’s animals will cause no harm to residents by not allowing odor, noise (roosters should probably not be allowed), or health disturbances. Besides, animals such as dogs are allowed, which have the potential to be much more harmful, as are other allowed exotic pets such as boa constrictors. We are able to police ourselves: “Hello, Officer, I would like to report that my neighbor’s pet ____ are being a ____ nuisance.” That sentence would apply to both dog and chicken; odor, noise, and health.



I totally plagiarized some of you guys' ideas. Oh I also probably need an attention-grabbing title.

Constructive criticism, anyone? (Be gentle--I am a delicate flower)

 

[ehurt]

Less verbose one...



We, the citizens of Norman, OK, petition to modify the municipal code to allow such small “domesticated farm animals” as chickens, small goats, and other practicable animals. Sec. 3-501 basically allows them if you have enough space to contain them 20’ from property lines and 100’ from residences. This restriction is unnecessary, and said animals should be allowed under the same laws pertaining to cats and dogs as they make great pets as well as a locally grown food source that we can control (no cruelty, hormones, or antibiotics). Learn how by reading other people’s success stories!

deleted.com | deleted.com | deleted.org | deleted.com | deleted.com

 

[Oblio13]

Quote:
I would pay to see a video of that.

 

[poultryand bees]

The city of Norman DOES permit poultry in residential areas.

The limitation is on the distance the domesticated farm animal can be housed from adjoining neighbors, which is why I suggested a variance rather than a complete change to the ordinance.

Ehurt, I suggest a letter to the city council along the lines of:

"Please grant me a variance from Section 3-501 of the Norman Ordinance, in order that I might maintain no more than 6 chickens and one goat of less than 40 pounds, within an area less than 100 feet from the nearest neighbor's dwelling. I recognize that the goat and chickens, will need to be maintained in a sanitary manner and in suitable housing."

Note that I suggest a finite number of animals and suggest identifying the kind of animals. The city of Norman also has a prohibition of keeping more than two adult dogs over the age of 14 weeks old, without a kennel license. (Section 13-1201 of the Norman Ordinances) I don't know how strictly the license for a kennel is enforced, but want you to be aware that it isn't just "farm animals" that have restrictions.

(A kennel license requires that the applicant give certified mail notice to the adjoining property owners for a distance of 300 feet on all sides of his premises and that there be a public hearing before the Kennel License Review Board)

Ehurt - you don't have to change the law for the entire city of Norman in order to obtain permission to keep a few domesticated farm animals in your backyard. You just need to get permission for your backyard. Since kennels require notice to adjoining neighbors, I suggest you start by talking to your neighbors and see what their reaction is. Unless they agree to your desire to keep chickens and a goat in your backyard, you are going to have a steep uphill battle.

In the meantime, go to the library and check out some books on raising chickens and goats and see what their housing and feed needs are. I keep Boer goats because I don't want to have to milk dairy goats twice a day and because they don't climb on everything the way some other breeds do.

One step at a time and you should be able to obtain the permission you desire to keep a few chickens. (The goat may require more persuasion). The important thing is to educate yourself about the poultry and animals you want before you start talking to neighbors and city officials, so you will have the answers to any questions they might have.

 

[SebrightLover]

re: the goat --- the only problem I would see with this would be the chance of the little sucker escaping your yard. Those dern things are crafty!

Good luck on getting a change.

(Holly who is hiding a duck in city limits and looks like 2 silkies now and a cochin that may have to be pets

Oh yeah and the button quail that are illegal in WV without a game farm license!!!)

 

[SeaChick]

Hi-
I'm the one who conviced our town to change the ordinance... a couple of thoughts:
1) go for a variance first, unless you are really rady to take on a big, long, campaign to change the whole law
2) DON'T use the words "small farm animals".... I think you should really play up the PET aspect. I beleive that was a deciding factor in our case.
3) Unless you personally want a goat, soon... leave that out. Baby steps!!!

Feel free to contact me directly. I have a collection of documents and information we used in our "campaign" that I'd be happy to email you.

Stacey

 

[SeaChick]

OK, more: I think Poultryand bees is on the right track about asking for a viariance, since your town already allows them. In my town, when the law was changed to allow hens, they made the 20-ft-setback rule, but allowed for a variance (which we needed in order to build our henhouse in the best place of our yard).

I'd add: make it abundantly clear that you are talking about PET HENS and no roosters. And, again, my advice is to pick your battles and start with the hens. After you get a variance for those and have proved a responsible owner, it might be easier to add the goat to your variance.

If you're on relatively good terms with your neighbors, I'd go around and get everyone's signature on a statement OKing up to 6 pet hens kept closer than 100 feet to their house. Do this pre-emptively. Take a plan of your lot with the henhouse drawn on it and setbacks labeled. Describe or show any buffers such as privacy fences or shrubbery. Get as many signatures as you can, but especially your abutters.

Then bring the signatures, as well as the plan of your lot (and perhaps drawings of your proposed coop, or better yet photos of other people's cops that you'd like to emulate) to the city along with your letter asking for a variance.

In our town you have to make a presentation before the city council, but maybe not in yours.

I'd personally edit your letter as proposed above in this manner:

"Please grant me a variance from Section 3-501 of the Norman Ordinance, in order that I might maintain no more than 6 Pet Hens (and no roosters) within an area less than 100 feet from the nearest neighbor's dwelling. I will be keeping the hens in the manner of any other suburban pet (i.e. dog, cat, or rabbit) and as such they will be maintained in a sanitary manner and in suitable housing.

Attached please find the signatures of my neighbors, who approve of my keeping up to 6 hens as pets in my yard. Atached also find a plan of my lot, with the proposed henhouse, run, and setbacks labeled. Note that the henhouse is screened from view by the xxxxxx. My henhouse will be constructed in an aesthetically pleaseing manner and as such will not detract from the neighborhood."

You can also add a "FAQ" sheet about raising pet chickens, pointing out how popular the hobby has become lately, all over the news, expecially in educated, affluent communities. I can provide some examples if you like from our campaign.

Good luck!!

Stacey

 

[SpottedCrow]

You could also play up the pet aspect a bit more. There's a Yahoogroup called HOUSECHICKENS...we keep our birdies in the house with us like they're parrots, dogs or cats.

Definitely no roo even though you are near the RR tracks. Some folks will just find that something to complain about.

I agree with a petition...I did one to keep my crowing hen.
I also made a map of my street, my house and the house of the person who complained about her.

 

[ehurt]

Oblio13: Chicken on a leash: http://www.americansilkiebantamclub.org/harness_leash.htm

I talked to my city councilman today, and she said she'd look into it and get back to me probably on Friday. I said I wanted some pet miniature chickens that weigh about two pounds, about 1/4 the size of a normal chicken, and you can show them. I think I mentioned they were bred all fancy. Did not mention one of these guys http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/5443/ed_micro.jpg (AHHH SO LITTLE) sadly. So, hopefully soon I can find out. I still think the law should be changed because it is--to put it eloquently--dumb.