We really need help in Rockwall Texas

[Sweetfeathers]

We need people to come to the Rockwall Texas city Council meeting on June 15 at 6 pm and help show support to change the city code and allow backyard chickens. We now have a group of grumpy neighbors who are opposing our arguments to allow for chickens in the city limits, they have dogs, let them run loose outside their yard, but they don't want us to have chickens. The are outspoken against us, have called the mayor and will come in force to keep us from having our two sweet chickens. They not only give us fresh eggs but are our pets...something our neighbors do not care about or understand.
So, I am appealing to all folks in Rockwall, who have or want to raise backyard chicken to please, please come to the council meeting on June 15 at 6 pm and join with us in your support for the change of code and allowing for backyard chickens.
We really need your support.

 

[TheCrazyChick]

What happened at the council meeting?

 

[TheCrazyChick]

I live in Rockwall and just heard about the meeting today.

 

[Sweetfeathers]

Not as good as we hoped. We presented a pretty good power point covering every thing, had a few supporters speak in favor of having chickens, even few from our neighborhood, more were there but afraid to speak out, . I had put in my power point as many Texas cities as I could find that allowed chickens as well as major cities in the US. I believe my husband and I presented a very good case for backyard chickens.

Then our HOA showed up and came to the microphone, the president and our next door neighbor along with more of their cronies speaking against us, attacked us personally as criminals as we knew we were breaking the law ( we had no idea Rockwall didn't allow for the registration of chickens, we know about our HOA but we lease the take line and it is not part of the HOA where we keep our two chickens)

One of the guys who lives several blocks over in our HOA said he is a cancer survivor and having chickens in the neighborhood would kill him, it was awful how they distorted the truth, lied and attacked.

The council didn't rule yet, they want time to talk about it. The council pointed out that it seemed like an HOA problem ( yes) We definitely have one Council member in our support corner and two others on the fence...one was absent but we hope he is on our side...the Mayor is not in favor at this time...he said he worked on a chicken farm in his youth and they are stinky, nasty. Good Lord.

So it is still up in the air. We need more citizens of Rockwall to email all the council members is support of our efforts. We can't do it because if our name shows up our Turtle Cove HOA will show up in numbers and speak out against chickens. Their talking point were all the myths and misconceptions of having backyard chickens, just amazing the stupidity of some narrow minded folks.

What is really needed at this time is a group of grass root supporters in Rockwall to get behind this and move forward with a petition campaign and represent this to the council. We are here to help in any way possible.

Also, animal control came out the very next day, Tuesday afternoon, and gave us notice that are chickens are to be gone in 14 days! My daughter in Dallas said she would love to have them ...and it's legal.

Thank you for your interest. It's a set back and it's definitely not over...the last song has not yet been sung.

 

[Chrissy8098]

Hi there, really sorry to hear about this. I wished I would have known about the June 15th date sooner. What are the next steps or what is the plan?
I would really love to have chickens at our house, we have a HUGE backyard and there is no reason we shouldn't be able to. Hope to see something done soon. Please email me the contact information you were speaking about above. I don't mind sending them a letter/email.

Thank you for your efforts.

Chrissy

 

[Sweetfeathers]

We need everyone, and I mean everyone who wants chickens to send as many emails as possible to all City Council member and Mayor in Rockwall in support of backyard chickens in Rockwall. Their emails are listed on the Rockwall city web site. Right now we are lacking grass roots support. My husband and I have been personally attacked by our HOA and critics on the Next Door social site and our plea to have chickens is in jeopardy. We only had a few supporters get up to speak but it wasn't enough.

The president of our HOA got up after our excellent power point on the advantages of BYC , myths, misconceptions and why we consider them pets and attacked us.. He said their are not pets...just poultry... stinking, dirty fowl and has no place in the city. Another neighbor said he is a cancer survivor and chickens in the neighborhood will kill him. Another said they just flat out didn't want chickens next to them, that we are criminals and broke the law and got caught now we want to city to change the code against the majority of citizens.

We must come together as a force if we want to have Rockwall City Council take us seriously. The small number if us can't go this alone.

We tried and now the city animal control is giving us one week to get rid of our precious two hens, Rosie and Dottie. We love them as much as they all love their dogs and cats but it us that must get rid of out pets because they do not see them as pets.

It breaks my heart.

 

[Sweetfeathers]

We are still trying to get the attention of more City Council members. We want this to go to a ruling by the council but we desperately need everyone who wants chickens in Rockwall to email ALL of the council members for their support and reasons for doing so, the advantages and rewards for have a few backyard chickens to love. It seems my hubby and I are in this fray all by ourselves and we know that is not true. There are a few quietly on our side. Either they already have chickens and they don't want to the city to know or they are just shy but we need HELP!. we need so many more to get behind us with their support.

My hubby said after we got so attacked by our HOA that he was done. But later he said, "you know what honey, if we have to go this alone so be it, we need to fight for our pets and try our best to keep them, that is all we can do." So will anyone join us??? It there anyone who will stand up for our cause to have few sweet hen to care for? Anyone?

I have emailed several who said they want some hens, but I have not gotten any replies that they have sent email to the council, so I have no idea who is still in support.

So, anyone, if you are still with us, please let me know, please email the city council members, all of them...

WE ARE TRYING TO GET THIS HEARD AGAIN FOR THE JULY 6 MEETING AT CITY HALL AT 6 pm. But please keep this quiet among ourselves....our HOA is on the attack, ( we laid a few stones by our patio to keep the rain water from eroding away the grass from that spot, and the neighbor next door turned us in to the HOA accusing us of doing "construction work" without a permit...so it is really bad. Only communicate with those you know who support Backyard hens.

Please help!