What does this mean to you? (IL)

[Jkirch]

Emailing with my Village Hall, I am told chickens are not allowed. But the only thing I can find on the ordinances about animals is that domestic animals are allowed and the definition of a domestic animal is, per their ordinance: "An animal which has been tamed for man's use". Then it states wild animals are not allowed in residences and they describe a list of wild animals that include "lions, coyote, bears, or poisonous, venomous reptiles" and many more of similar "Nat Geo" species. Wouldn't chickens be included under "domestic"? I would love to get chickens going in the backyard, just wouldn't want to break any laws. Thanks for reading, Janet

 

[Meara]

Hi, I also live in IL. I'd say what you have there is nice wide loophole

If you ask animal control or the local govt officials they are likely to reply off the top of their heads without ever actually looking up the ordinance. Many laws were written at the time a city incorporated and haven't been modified since. I found out that in the city where I live we can have cows, horses, sheep, anything I want EXCEPT "swine" as long as they are housed 50 feet from the adjoining properties. This is an absolutely hilarious loophole! If the neighbor on one side keeps annoying me I'm thinking I might get a donkey

 

[EweSheep]

chickens ARE domesicated animals. Pheasants, quails are not domesticated even man has been raising them in the last 50 years or so.

If you can, go to the courthouse, get the zoning and ordiance of under pets or anything that regarding to poultry. Get a copy of it on hand, in case, some official decided to get huffy or getting complaints. many time they don't research it or understand the ordiance bylaws or some defination that would throw them off "except" or "unless" are cue words of variance of the ordiances.

If you can give us all the entirety of the ordiance, we hope we can help you getting some chickens soon!

Emailing with my Village Hall, I am told chickens are not allowed. But the only thing I can find on the ordinances about animals is that domestic animals are allowed and the definition of a domestic animal is, per their ordinance: "An animal which has been tamed for man's use". Then it states wild animals are not allowed in residences and they describe a list of wild animals that include "lions, coyote, bears, or poisonous, venomous reptiles" and many more of similar "Nat Geo" species. Wouldn't chickens be included under "domestic"? I would love to get chickens going in the backyard, just wouldn't want to break any laws. Thanks for reading, Janet

 

[Jkirch]

Thanks for your replies!

The response I received today when I inquired through email that the ordinance doesn't speak to having chickens/ poultry at all was "if it doesn't mention them, then it means they are not allowed".

???? I was going to email back and say, well, we have three turtles, are they not allowed, because it does not mention turtles, either? But I want to go about this very carefully and pleasantly because it's about the chickens

Tomorrow I have someone familiar with our Village's ordinances and the people who are on the board looking at what I've dug up.

So, if it is truly a loophole, do I just get started on my chickens?

Thanks again for your insights~
Janet

 

[Meara]

It's a legal issue and like all things legal it has to all be spelled out in legal language. They can't just say "if it's not mentioned then it's not allowed". There would have to be specific language in the ordinance to that effect. But even if you have the legal right-of-way it's best to avoid getting confrontational unless they push you in that direction in the future. Have you spoken to your neighbors? Are they likely to complain? The city is unlikely to bother you unless it is receiving complaints.

 

[Jkirch]

Yes, I need to put checking with my neighbors on the top of my to-do list!

 

[Chemguy]

I agree that "if it's not mentioned it's not allowed" is a poor answer, but there is a possibility that there is a pertinent clause elsewhere in the municipal code. This clause might precede the section in which you located the information you mentioned. If you're seraching through the code onlne and entering search terms like "chicken" or "poultry" you might not find anything if there is a general, overarching statement made.

How did the meeting go?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

"If it's not mentioned, it's not allowed" is actually a VERY COMMON clause in many cities/towns zoning uses and ordinances. Typically found in the Rules of Construction section that is often near the beginning of the document. This is likely what the person was referencing.

You need to check your zoning code for allowed uses as well as your ordinances (sometimes they are one document; other times they are entirely separate documents). Find out what your specific zoning is and see what uses are allowed. I will bet that your city code is simply to categorically outlaw wild animals, and that the zoning code addresses poultry, livestock and pets.

 

[Jkirch]

The Village code is, from what I can tell, exactly that- to outlaw wild animals.

The zoning code, specific to the zone I am in- Suburban Residence District 2 states :

"Household pets exclusively for the use or personal enjoyment of residents of the premises and not for commercial purposes, limited to not more than a total of three (3) traditional domestic animals" is the only thing I can find relating to having pets.

Wait a second- ugh. Oh no. Super oh no. I just went to and found in the Rules and Definitions document: "ANIMAL, DOMESTIC: An animal, bird or reptile that is tame or domesticated and is not normally found on a farm or in the wild. Hybrids or animals normally found on a farm or in the wild are not included within the definition of a domestic animal."

**Thanks (but kind of "no thanks"- ha!) for helping me dig farther, Sonoran Silkies!! Looks like now it's a question of, do I want to pursue changing this ordinance and all that might entail? I already feel icky vibes inside me thinking about it as in our local paper the huge, weekly front page story is how connected and corrupt our village's government is. I also know they have vehemently disallowed such things as prairie grasses in people's yards. Going to go ponder things... but feeling a bit sad now...

Janet

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[EweSheep]

Not telling you what to do but "go underground" LOL!

All of our city government are so corrupted and they can not see what else they need to do!