tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985326605965572252024-03-13T09:01:55.101-04:00Sarasota CLUCKCLUCK (Citizens Lobbying for Urban Chicken Keeping) is a group working in support of backyard hens in Sarasota.
We've had success in the city and are turning our efforts to the County.
Write to volunteer, show support or ask questions at
sarasotacluck@gmail.com
And check out our Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118190386787&ref=ts
All we are saying is: Give Peeps A Chance.Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.comBlogger276125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-4491959384908523932016-10-12T12:59:00.001-04:002017-03-15T11:34:55.619-04:00Citizens Guide to Where Chickens May be Kept in Sarasota County<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Can I legally keep
chickens in Sarasota County?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b> Do Some Research</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
order to find out what chicken rules apply to you in Sarasota County, you need
to know several things: whether you live in a city or the unincorporated
county, and what zoning district are you in. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To find out go to the
</span><a href="http://www.sc-pa.com/propertysearch/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sarasota Property
Appraiser’s website</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and enter the street address or
property owners name. Then click on SEARCH at the bottom of the form. You’ll
see a list on the right that describes various aspects of your property,
including LAND AREA (area of your lot in square feet) MUNICIPALITY (if you live
in a City with its own, separate rules) and ZONING. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> <b>Do you Live in One of Four Cities?</b></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If the MUNICIPALITY says City of Sarasota, North Port, or Venice, you can
have chickens pursuant to their rules. Venice is actually silent on the subject, but does say it "is unlawful for any person to allow chickens . . . or other domestic fowl to run at large within the city." So be considerate -- no roosters and respect your neighbors. If it says Town of Longboat Key, the answer is no backyard chickens I</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman';">f it says Sarasota County you will be governed by Sarasota County rules.
Make a note of your zoning code.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; text-align: center;"> </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">Do you Live in a Mandatory Homeowner Association Neighborhood?</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Before going further, figure out if you live in community
with a </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">mandatory </b><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">homeowners
association (HOA). These are the places that have mandatory annual fees and
which can put a lien on your house if you don’t mow your lawn or follow other
rules you agreed to. The rules in these mandatory HOA’s take precedence over
the County rules and you are governed by them and you need to consult those
rules. If you live in a traditional neighborhood with no neighborhood
association or a voluntary one, the County or City rules will apply.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> Unincorporated Sarasota County Zones </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">RSF, RE-2, RE-3, and RC</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If your zoning code is any of the following: RSF, RE-2,
RE-3, and RC you will now be allowed to have up to four hens. Go forward to the
section summarizing the rules that apply. If you are in OUA or OUR you can have more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b>County OUE Zoning</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If your property is zoned OUE, things are a little trickier.
You need to determine your neighbor’s zoning. Back on the Property Appraiser’s
website, click on MAP to see your property’s dimensions and your adjoining lots.
As you click on surrounding lots a box will come up with some info, click on
the Property Detail Page to see what your neighbors’ zoning is and make a note.
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you have an OUE parcel five acres or greater, then there
is no limit on the number of chickens and you have a fifty foot setback for the
coop. (To convert your parcel’s area in square feet to acres, divide by 43,560)
If your OUE parcel is less than five acres and you are adjoining other OUE
properties, then you have a fifty foot setback for the coop. If any adjoining
properties are residential (RE, RSF, RH, RMH) then for those parcels you have a
hundred foot setback for the coop and the birds when they are out of the coop. You
only have to meet the greater setbacks adjacent to RE, RSF, RH, and RMH zoned
properties. So if your side neighbors are OUE, use the 50 setback, but if your
back neighbor/s is/are RE, RSF, RH, or RMH the coop and hens will have to be
100’ back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So if you are zoned OUE and your side neighbors are also OUE
(and assuming you have a rectangular parcel and your coop is no more than 6
feet wide), any lot wider than 106’ will work. If your have back neighbors
zoned RE, RSF, RH, or RMH, the coop and chickens will have to be set back 100’
to be legal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><b> More on </b></o:p></span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">OUE and RE1</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Sarasota County Zoning Administrator wrote to say: “</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><i>What we are essentially trying to do is say if you are
OUE, RE1, you are not restricted in the number of chickens that you can have.</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b>Small Non-conforming OUE Lots</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">If you have a nonconforming OUE lot
less than one acre in size, then the verbiage in 5.3.1.a.8 (see Ordinance
2016-044) kicks in and you will be treated as any other nonconforming lot,
which means you would conform to the closest zoning district similar in use
which will be an RSF lot.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RULES
for RSF, RE-2, RE-3, and RC</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> ZONING DISTRICTS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
keeping of chickens is allowed if the following</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">standards are met:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">No
more than four (4) chickens may be kept, with roosters prohibited;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">2. No
person shall slaughter any chickens;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">3. The
chickens shall be provided with a movable covered enclosure (i.e. "hen
house/coop") and must be kept in the covered enclosure or a fenced
enclosure at all times. Chickens must be secured within the movable
henhouse/coop during non-daylight hours;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">4. The
space per bird in the henhouse/coop shall not be less than four (4) square feet
per bird;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">5. No
covered enclosure or fenced enclosure shall be located in the front yard or
side yard, nor shall the henhouse/coop be closer than ten (10) feet to any
property line of an adjacent property, nor within twenty-five (25) feet of any
adjacent residential structure. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">[OUE
setbacks can be greater – see above]</b> Odors from chickens, chicken manure, or
other chicken related substances shall not be detectable at the property
boundaries;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">6. All
enclosures for the keeping of chickens shall be so constructed and maintained
as to prevent rodents or other pests from being harbored underneath, within, or
within the walls of the enclosure. The henhouse/coop must be impermeable to
rodents, wild birds, and predators, including dogs and cats. Enclosures shall
be kept in neat condition, including provision of clean, dry bedding materials
and regular removal of waste materials. All manure not used for composting or
fertilizing shall be removed promptly;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">7. All
feed and other items associated with the keeping of chickens that arelikely to
attract or to become infested with or infected by rodents or other pests shall
be kept in secure containers or otherwise protected so as to prevent rodents
and other pests from gaining access to or coming into contact with them;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">8. The
sale of eggs or any other chicken products generated is prohibited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">9.
Nothing in this subsection shall affect any homeowner association declarations
or restrictions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">10.
Chickens that are no longer wanted by their owners shall not be taken to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Animal
Control, nor shall they be released. Unwanted chickens may be taken to Health
& Human Services Mosquito Control Division for utilization in the Sentinel
Chicken Program.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">11. These
provisions shall sunset on January 1, 2019, unless reviewed and saved from
repeal, through reenactment by the Board of County Commissioners. In the event
that this ordinance sunsets, the keeping of any previously allowed chickens
shall be considered a nonconforming use for five years thereafter.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Jono Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865143680740844920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-6277634910347666762016-09-20T09:23:00.002-04:002016-09-20T09:23:11.204-04:00Backyard hens can transmit Salmonella.<a href="http://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/2011/06/cluck-news-no-cuddle-or-snuggle-warning.html">We've said it before, </a>but it is worth repeating.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/09/14/kissing-chickens-is-bad-for-your-health-cdc-warns/">https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/09/14/kissing-chickens-is-bad-for-your-health-cdc-warns/</a>Jono Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865143680740844920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-46360804554076837562016-08-20T16:40:00.001-04:002016-08-20T16:40:15.257-04:00SRQ Planning Commission's Unanimous Support<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
If you'd like to watch the Planning Commission testimony and commission discussion and vote, please take the following link and advance (using the slider at the bottom) to 2:48. Our agenda item lasts 52 minutes. The date is listed as the 19th, but it was the i8th</div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<a href="http://sarasotacounty.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=15&clip_id=3443" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">sarasotacounty.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php…</a></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-top: 6px;">
And please mark your calendars for the September 20th Board of County Commissioners meeting. This will a DAYTIME meeting in downtown Sarasota and we don't know if it will be morning or afternoon yet. This will be THE most important meeting! </div>
Jono Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865143680740844920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-90305557937640111252016-06-14T18:45:00.001-04:002016-06-14T18:45:31.995-04:00North Port Nixes Hens Again<span style="font-size: large;">Despite strong support from Commissioner Yates and Mayor Moore, the North Port City Commission once again sunk an effort to have staff draft a backyard hen ordinance based on the successful experience of the City of Sarasota. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Commissioner Cook's objection to my being able to speak for more than three minutes signaled her continued, and strident, opposition to backyard chickens and Commissioner Tom Jones seemed concerned about the possibility of residents living in mandatory Homeowner Associations (such as Sabal Trace) being unable to prevent poultry. (The City of Sarasota makes it clear that mandatory HOA regulations take precedence over the Citys' ordinance.) That left former supporter Vice Mayor DiFranco, a former chicken owner, as the swing vote. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Commissioner DiFranco argued that while she had supported backyard hens previously, contact with the community had convinced her that the majority of North Port residents opposed hens. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Her argument was bolstered by the fact that only three North Port residents argued strongly for hens, and they were offset by three residents (including the ever-entertaining and feisty Buddy Hughes) who argued against. Another citizen thought chickens could be appropriate on large lots with tight regulation. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Opponents frequently cited property rights ("I don't want to look at coops or cows.") and a concern about property values, although no i</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">nformation or testimony has been brought forward at any level that backyard hens decrease property values. In fact, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-nickum/dont-be-the-last-person-t_b_3085293.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;">a recent article </a>documents the fact that chicken coops are being included in some real estate ads as amenities. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">One prominent Sarasota realtor has said "If your neighbor has three lawn ornaments or paints their house pink, that will have more effect on the ability to sell your house than if they have backyard chickens." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Research presented in a comprehensive study of 100 cities that allow chickens concluded that: "</span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>As of yet, no studies have been done on how backyard </i></span></span><i style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large;">chickens in particular affect property values, but given that </span></i><i style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large;">communities express little concern that other pets, such </span></i><i style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large;">as dogs or cats, reduce property values, and given research </span></i><i style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large;">showing that pets and urban agricultural practices can </span></i><i style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large;">increase them, there is little reason to believe that allowing </span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Helvetica;">backyard chickens will negatively affect them.</i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"*</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Commissioners Moore and Yates will need more citizen support if they are to challenge Commissioner DiFranco's conclusion that the community support just isn't there. Of course, the majority of Sarasota City residents never said they favored chickens -- proponents simply demonstrated that allowing chickens posed no discernible threat to residents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">*</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Illegal Fowl: </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">A Survey of </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Municipal Laws </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Relating to </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Backyard Poultry </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">and a Model </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Ordinance for </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Regulating City </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Chickens </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">by Jaime Bouvier </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Jaime Bouvier is Visiting Legal Writing Professor, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. </span>Jono Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865143680740844920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-187073013654247822016-06-13T22:26:00.001-04:002016-06-14T17:21:17.312-04:00Why I Would Raise Chickens | Bill Gates | LinkedIn<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-i-would-raise-chickens-bill-gates">https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-i-would-raise-chickens-bill-gates</a>
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Sent from my iPhoneCluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-67316040593589610612016-06-10T19:07:00.001-04:002016-06-10T19:07:44.935-04:00Shared from Twitter: Egg producers pledge to stop grinding newborn male chickens to death - The Washington Post<div><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/06/10/egg-producers-say-theyll-stop-grinding-male-chicks-as-soon-as-theyre-born/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_eggs-1115am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory">Egg producers pledge to stop grinding newborn male chickens to death - The Washington Post</a> from Christopher Ingraham's <a href="https://twitter.com/_cingraham/status/741352247427137536?refsrc=email&s=11">Tweet</a> <br><br> <a href="https://twitter.com/download?ref_src=MailTweet-iOS">Download</a> the Twitter app</div><div><br><br>Sent from my iPhone</div>Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-8134010601639164122016-05-12T13:40:00.001-04:002016-05-12T14:12:39.650-04:00NEXT CLUCK MEETING • MAY 25TH<span style="font-size: large;">Our next Sarasota CLUCK meeting will be held Wednesday May 25th at 6:30 p.m at the Farm Bureau Building at 7289 Palmer Blvd. Sarasota 34240.</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-27q639pBhIU/VzSrH7x6dUI/AAAAAAAAAl4/yLGC2aqFN24jfciA58ER3FoLMSb-7DeVACLcB/s1600/chicken-in-meeting-300x250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-27q639pBhIU/VzSrH7x6dUI/AAAAAAAAAl4/yLGC2aqFN24jfciA58ER3FoLMSb-7DeVACLcB/s400/chicken-in-meeting-300x250.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now that the County is moving forward, we'll be discussing strategy and how we can help county planning staff in their efforts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We'll be looking for volunteer speakers, people that can help with enforcement, and great local personal testimony. We'll also have a chance to introduce veterans from our successful campaign seven years ago that led to chickens being allowed in the City of Sarasota.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This is a chance to connect with Sarasota's chicken underground and organize for the final push. </span><br />
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Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-73435704166341505902016-05-10T12:57:00.000-04:002016-05-11T15:52:45.297-04:00Sarasota Chicken Train Leaves Station<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E-8_1NT79W8/VzINhSMW-NI/AAAAAAAAAlk/Z1iamcxz6kctdSGqwv5mQkMSBIWCfsSNgCLcB/s1600/Chicken-people-riding-the-train-download-free-hd-humor-wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E-8_1NT79W8/VzINhSMW-NI/AAAAAAAAAlk/Z1iamcxz6kctdSGqwv5mQkMSBIWCfsSNgCLcB/s640/Chicken-people-riding-the-train-download-free-hd-humor-wallpaper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sarasota County’s backyard chicken train left the station
today (May 10 2016), but not before being slowed down and having some extra stops and baggage added. It is now expected to arrive in late September or early October.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Commissioner Mason, eager to see the languishing hen issue
resolved before she leaves the Board in November, brought the matter up, trying
to gain support to draft and advertise an Ordinance based on the success in the
City of Sarasota. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But Commissioner Robinson redirected the three Commissioners
present (Commissioner Caragiulo had to attend to a matter in Sarasota) to the
staff report recommendation that included an added “outreach” provision. Mason withdrew her
original motion and moved the staff recommendation, which ultimately passed 4-0, but not before a few concerns were raised.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's the staff recommendation: <i><b>Should the Board recommend the implementation of a "backyard chicken" ordinance, similar to the City of Sarasota's, staff will schedule workshops for both North and South County, as well as facilitate discussion with neighborhood associations such as the Council or Neighborhoods Association (CONA). Staff would also request CLUCK's assistance in providing information and education with these discussions. Subsequent to the workshops, a Board authorization to advertise item will be scheduled to deliver the results of those outreach efforts, as well as, discuss the processing of a proposed Ordinance.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Commissioner Robinson, assuring those assembled that she was
not creating roadblocks or speedbumps, asked staff to address “health aspects”
that might include required vet visits or licensing. She also wanted clarification
on code enforcement – specifically if CLUCK was going to provide a service comparable
to what is available in the City of Sarasota where chicken-related calls are
routed from paid city staff to CLUCK volunteers to save the City time and money. Commissioner Hines noted concerns from the Sheriff's office.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">COMMENT: The report delivered to the Commission clearly stated that the County's Director of Health and Human Services, reviewing both information from the City of Sarasota and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "<b>do not provide a recommendation for or against the keeping of backyard chickens."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As for the role of volunteers, CLUCK is now planning a May 25th evening meeting to explore that question. Details will be provided here, when that date and location are confirmed. </span></div>
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<br />Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-56412381663031138142016-03-17T08:37:00.001-04:002016-03-17T08:45:55.498-04:00Herald Tribune covers renewed push for hens<div class="art_byline" style="border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; margin: 10px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">More than a week after the Sarasota County Commission acted the Sarasota Herald Tribune ran a Zach Murdoch story about the renewed push for backyard hens. <a href="http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20160315/ARTICLE/160319763/0/search">You can read the story here. </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One part article makes it seem as though there is some question about <i>"</i><span style="line-height: 25.290000915527344px; word-spacing: 2px;"><i>whether homeowners' associations and deed restricted communities would be able to adopt rules limiting chickens in their own communities.</i>" </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The City of Sarasota ordinance is very clear, CLUCK has been clear, and the Commissioners have been clear that those neighborhoods with </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">mandatory Homeowner Associations (HOAs) will be able to adopt prohibitions on poultry that supersede any County permissions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One Commissioner has proven to be a wellspring of objections, concerns, and Rumpelstiltskin-worthy tasks. The other four have voted to move forward. The article quoted Commissioner Robinson expressing concerns about financial impact, neighborhood impact, and abandoned pets. None of these has been a measurable issue in the City of Sarasota, which as of this posting has allowed chickens for five years, one month and ten days. </span></div>
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<a href="http://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/2016/03/sarasota-county-takes-step.html">CLUCK's coverage of the commission action may be seen by clicking here. </a></div>
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Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-83432204468567467082016-03-15T05:49:00.000-04:002016-03-15T05:50:00.090-04:00EWAO Germany Becomes The First Nation To Ban ‘Chick Shredding’<a href="http://www.ewao.com/a/germany-becomes-the-first-nation-to-ban-chick-shredding/">http://www.ewao.com/a/germany-becomes-the-first-nation-to-ban-chick-shredding/</a>
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<br>Sent from my iPhoneCluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-67860473148654313502016-03-08T17:12:00.000-05:002016-03-09T07:17:28.452-05:00Sarasota County Takes a Step<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">On March 8th, 2016, the Sarasota County Commission voted 4-1 to move forward, with Commissioner Robinson voting NO. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19px;">There is some confusion about what they are expecting. The Clerk's microphone wasn't on when she restated the motion -- we believe staff is supposed to respond in 60 days with a report. Then, based on the report, the Commission would vote to advertise a hearing, <b>or not.</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--POC--3nXBc/Vt9WBq_UB5I/AAAAAAAAAk8/-EQHYqXQul4/s1600/HOW%2BTHE%2BVOTED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--POC--3nXBc/Vt9WBq_UB5I/AAAAAAAAAk8/-EQHYqXQul4/s400/HOW%2BTHE%2BVOTED.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This is not the action CLUCK sought, although it is movement in a forward direction. CLUCK had hoped the Commission would direct staff to modify the City of Sarasota ordinance as needed and bring it back to the Commission so they could direct staff to advertise a hearing. Commissioner Robinson argued against that, while Commissioner Hines clearly supported that approach. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Over a year ago (February 18, 2015) Planning Staff gave the Commission a report on chickens and asked for direction from the Commission (See 2. Below). Even though it had taken a year, we assumed the next step would be to direct staff to draft an ordinance (or tell CLUCK it was never going to happen). Instead the Commission asked for yet <u>another </u>report. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xuk7WsV0-1A/Vt9Qz-APcAI/AAAAAAAAAko/DwlE7MugyZA/s1600/staff%2Bchicken%2Brecommendations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xuk7WsV0-1A/Vt9Qz-APcAI/AAAAAAAAAko/DwlE7MugyZA/s640/staff%2Bchicken%2Brecommendations.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Points the Commission apparently wants addressed in the next staff report:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Provision of ample warning to mandatory HOAs to allow them to clarify their policy on chickens so that they can avoid any "grandfathering" issues</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Information from the City of Sarasota staff regarding their experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• What zoning categories staff would recommend for inclusion (this might be a menu for board discussion)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Addressing concerns raised in the Sheriff's March 4th Memorandum, particularly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Clarifying the respective roles of Animal Services and Code Enforcement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• The basis of projections or assumptions regarding financial impact</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Proposed strategies for dealing with unwanted chickens</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Approaches to minimizing the sale of cockerels (incipient roosters)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Assessment of relative risk of zoonotic disease and strategies to minimize that risk. </span></div>
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Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-25306020884586405302016-03-08T05:51:00.000-05:002016-03-08T05:58:21.439-05:00Jennifer Schlinger-Ziegler Re-ignites County Chicken Campaign<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jennifer Schlinger-Ziegler lives in a zoning district that allows backyard chickens. But the dimensions of her property don't allow her to meet the onerous (50 foot) setback restrictions. When a neighbor turned her chickens in, she swung into action and, as a result, the Sarasota County Commission will be considering moving forward. Here is the email CLUCK sent to the Commissioners:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Commissioners: On Tuesday March 8th you will be discussing backyard hens, possibly for the first time in 476 days (the matter of sentinel chickens was a separate, but related, issue). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">At that time a majority of the Board asked backyard chicken advocates to demonstrate that the level of community interest warranted moving forward:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Commissioner Mason: "</span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">I'd like to see just how much interest there is out there before asking staff to look into this further."</i><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;" /><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Commissioner Caragiulo: "</span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">. . .we don't want to put a burden of basically get everyone to agree to a point and then bring it back to us." "I think it's a worthwhile discussion certainly. -- Frankly you do have gauge if there's any interest."</i><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;" /><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Commissioner Hines: "</span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Before we change our zoning code, I think we ask is there a public interest in doing this beyond, you know, five, ten, twenty people -- is there a public interest to do this? And, so, rather than us trying to go out and explore that public interest. . ." "We asked the folks to go out and maybe get some petitions signed or some information -- not necessarily bring in a bus of two hundred people (interruption) and public comments to do it and to see if there's interest and that hasn't occurred . . " "Maybe the timing is right, but if there's only twenty or thirty people in the county that wants this. . . that's what we've not heard". </i><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;" /><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><br /></i><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Commissioner Maio did not comment during the discussion. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Tomorrow CLUCK will present additional petition signatures from Sarasota County residents that will bring the total submitted to you to over 1,260, <b>which is 42 times more than thirty people threshold </b>suggested by Commissioner Hines. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">In addition, we have <b>over 900 members</b> of our Sarasota C.L.U.C.K. Facebook group, although we have no easy way of discerning how many live in Sarasota </span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">County. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I am attaching <b>comments submitted by close to 500 people</b> explaining why they support backyard hens in Unincorporated Sarasota County.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Sarasota CLUCK believes now is the time to act on this citizen initiative. Here's why:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">• The experience in the City of Sarasota has been positive. Following the two year trial period <b>the City Commission voted unanimously to make the changes permanent. </b>Although many County residents believe they should be allowed to have more hens than City residents, CLUCK is suggesting the County start with the City approach to facilitate both education and enforcement. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">• Through the collection of signatures, <b>CLUCK has demonstrated significant citizen interest,</b> fulfilling the challenge issued by the Board in 2014</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">• CLUCK supports the City of Sarasota provision affirming that rules adopted by the boards of mandatory homeowner associations will take precedence over the County changes. In addition, CLUCK could accept a 90 period before any change would take effect to allow any homeowner Boards a chance to amend their rules. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">• Informal conversations with two of the largest neighborhood groups suggest a County approach modeled on the City of Sarasota would not be unduly controversial.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">It is our hope, based on these facts, that the Commission will finally instruct staff to propose changes, based as closely as practicable on the successful City of Sarasota experience, that could be brought to the Board for consideration and subsequently advertised for a hearing. </span></span></span></div>
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Jono Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865143680740844920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-12491677743788784592014-11-20T10:24:00.000-05:002014-11-22T07:14:22.975-05:00CLUCK requests reasonable protection for chicken advocatesThe following was sent to County Administrator Harmer (with copies to the five Commissioners) on November 20th in an effort to clarify that citizens should be able to speak freely, without fear of reprisals, on the matter of backyard chicken keeping in Sarasota County, even if they currently have chickens illegally.<br />
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">County Administrator Harmer:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">Based on recent concerns, I drafted and circulated for comment among several CLUCK leaders the following communication:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">Upon review of Ann McAvoy’s presentation during Open To The Public on Tuesday afternoon, I noticed she desribed her petition as being one that </span><i style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">“many others support, but have not signed, for fear of retaliation</i><span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">Similar concerns have emerged on social media -- that is people being afraid to advocate on behalf of backyard chickens because they currently have chickens in zoning districts where they are not allowed. This morning I saw the following online query: “<i>Might our signatures/address serve in generating citation notices if it doesn't pass?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">I don’t believe this is a particularly warranted fear, because I don’t believe our local government is vindictive or retaliatory and my understanding is that our code enforcement strategy is primarily complaint driven. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">However, it is unfortunate to think that the community support for backyard chickens is being artificially depressed out of fear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">CLUCK has never advocated that people deliberately violate zoning codes in the hope they will not be noticed. Too many times we have heard the poignant anguish of people who had to give up their hens and consequently we don’t believe it is worth the risk. Nevertheless, some Sarasotans naively (like the Kormans) or defiantly choose to raise backyard hens in areas where they are currently prohibited. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">It is worth observing that these households represent valuable real-world experience that could inform the commission. If these chicken outlaws have been able to keep hens for a protracted period of time, their experience suggests backyard hens can be easily integrated within a neighborhood. And if neighbors do find fault and code enforcement gets involved, the genesis of the complaint can be instructive. In the Korman’s case, the chickens were a convenient proxy for what was actually a property boundary dispute between neighbors. We suspect this is a relatively common pattern – illegal chickens being used as pawns in ongoing neighbor chess matches. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">Therefore I am writing to request two things: first that the county temporarily suspend enforcement actions against chicken owners for a few days (except in cases involving suspected cockfighting, crowing roosters, health concerns, animal abuse, or animal hoarding) until the commission clarifies its intent (which probably needs to be on the agenda December 9<sup>th</sup> or 10<sup>th</sup> in order to respond in a timely manner to Special Magistrate Zack’s December 19th deadline). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">Second, reassure citizens that the county will not use their participation in this needed community discussion as a means of identifying people for possible enforcement action. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">Jono Miller<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; font-family: Helvetica;">On behalf of Sarasota CLUCK</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the City of Sarasota residents that kept chickens illegally who sparked the successful campaign to<br />
legalize chickens in the City. No citizen should fear reprisals for participating in our democracy.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Below you will find the County Administrator's response, and my reply.</span></div>
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<span class="gD" email="tharmer@scgov.net" name="Tom Harmer" style="color: #222222; display: inline; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">Tom Harmer</span></h3>
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<span class="hb" style="color: #777777; vertical-align: top;">to <span class="g2" dir="ltr" email="sarasotacluck@gmail.com" name="me" style="vertical-align: top;">me</span>, <span class="g2" dir="ltr" email="BCC@scgov.net" name="BCC" style="vertical-align: top;">BCC</span>, <span class="g2" dir="ltr" email="tpolk@scgov.net" name="Thomas" style="vertical-align: top;">Thomas</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jono, thank you for your email. I wanted to respond to your specific request that the</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">county suspend enforcement actions against chicken owners that are violating the </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">county’s current ordinance. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I understand your concern and there is no intent or plans to target individuals that</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">are coming before the Board of County Commissioners to request a change in our </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">current ordinances. I have discussed that specific concern with our Planning and </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Development Services Director Tom Polk and he confirms that approach. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">It would be inappropriate for the County staff to not enforce the current ordinance </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">but currently our enforcement efforts are focused on complaints that are received </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">from the public by the County. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sincerely,<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Tom<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Thomas A. Harmer</span></i></b><b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">, ICMA-CM<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">County Administrator<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sarasota County <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">1660 Ringling Blvd. 2nd Floor<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sarasota, FL 34236<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="tel:941.861.5111" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+19418615111">941.861.5111</a> (phone)<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.scgov.net/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">www.scgov.net</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Tom et al.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Thanks for checking with Tom Polk and getting back to me. As I suspected, the</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">County does not target individuals questioning county poultry policies for </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">possible enforcement actions. And I can see that the decision to suspend </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">enforcement is a significant one with ramifications. I understand the County's </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">situation, but note and appreciate that the county has exercised discretion and </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">common sense in relation to the Kormans. We will get the word out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">My guess is the December 9 and 10 agendas are quite full, but in light of two </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">things I hope you will be able to squeeze chickens onto the agenda. The first </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">reason is the December 19th deadline imposed by Special Magistrate Zack. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">At the least, it would seem appropriate to discuss whether adjustments need to </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">be made to allow sentinel chickens in zoning districts that don't currently</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">allow chickens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The second reason is that during the November 18th morning discussion at </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">least three of the commissioners asked for a better understanding of support </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">for change as a condition of further county action. It seemed both clear and </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">reasonable that any consideration of a zoning change reflect a genuine desire </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">of a demonstrated constituency and not merely a few squeaky gears.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Indeed, in June of 2011 CLUCK provided the following unsolicited advice to </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">decision-makers in St. Lucie County: "<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><i>Please don't change your chickens </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><i>laws for just (a) handful of people. Citizens get justifiably u</i></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><i>pset when it </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><i>looks like one or two people can get laws changed to suit their special </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><i>circumstances. Make sure there is a diverse group with sizable </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20px;"><i>numbers that support the changes.</i>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">No magic threshold number was mentioned by the Board that would warrant </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">county action, although it seemed clear that twenty was too few. A few hours </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">later, Ann McAvoy presented her petition with 270 county signatures and 86 </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">comments to the Board. Is 270 enough? That question probably warrants </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Board discussion. My understanding is that additional signatures will be </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">forthcoming. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">CLUCK is aware that more than two years ago Commissioners Robinson </span><span style="font-size: medium;">and </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Mason endorsed a different test, one we believe to be impractical and onerous. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We applaud this fresh approach based on gauging public interest. We note that </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">since CLUCK formed, the City of Tampa as well as Hernando, Pinellas, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Manatee, and Duval counties have all changed their ordinances to allow </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">backyard hens. Sarasota chicken advocates have been patient, but believe the </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">time has come to allow people a few pets hens and stop the heart-rending </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">scenarios that unfold when families are forced to surrender pets whose </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">transgression is solely being crosswise with county code.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">If the Commission will vote to initiate a change in the zoning code, CLUCK </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">will work with staff to develop an approach that will allow backyard hens </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">without creating additional neighbor problems. In addition, CLUCK will work </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">to educate the community regarding the proposed changes. </span></div>
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Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-52056875516032153692014-11-18T16:51:00.001-05:002014-11-19T09:02:08.445-05:00Sarasota County Commission Re-Engages on Backyard Hens<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Nov 18th, 2014 Sarasota County Commission Re-Engages on Backyard Hens</div>
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Today four Sarasota County residents addressed the new County Commission regarding backyard hens and appeared to shift the Board's position on the issue. </div>
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In the morning, Tyler Korman explained his family's time-sensitive situation with a Special Magistrate and in the process introduced an aspect of urgency as well as highlighting the irony of his hens serving an important public health goal of the county while being in violation of county zoning codes. He was followed by longtime CLUCK supporter, Jennifer Cortez, who explained how a few hens would fit in with her sustainable approach to her yard. </div>
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Prior to lunch the new Commission reviewed a prior Board's previous action on this matter (see letter below). Commissioners Hines, Robinson, and Mason remembered the challenge to CLUCK to secure prior approval ("buy-in") from a wide variety of non-govenmental entities and seemed to want to return to that position.<br />
<span style="text-align: center;"> --------------------</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Backyard hen supporters were flabbergasted two years ago when a group of
parents asked the County Commission why their families couldn’t have backyard
hens and, instead of answering the question, the Commission directed CLUCK to
solicit approval in advance for keeping backyard hens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were two problems with their
direction, aside from not answering the citizens’ questions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In more than three decades of watching our County
Commission, I’ve never seen the commission require a group seeking to initiate
a change to secure permission from a wide variety of non-governmental
organizations prior to even considering that change. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not only would their challenge require a superhuman effort,
but it was destined to fail for a very simple reason: no group would sign a
blank check and a chicken proposal without specifics would constitute a blank check.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How many chickens are we talking about? What kind of
setbacks? Basic questions such as these could not be answered because there is
no proposed ordinance at this point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And it would pointless for CLUCK to propose specific
language in the absence of 1) any direction from the Board regarding what they
might find acceptable and 2) language development and review by County Planning
and legal staff to make sure the form and content of the proposal met county
standards.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"> --------------------</span><br />
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Today, and partially in response to Commissioner Caragiulo’s
questioning, the Board’s position seemed to shift a little from requiring prior
blank check approval from numerous non-governmental entities to wondering if there was sufficient public interest to warrant committing county resources to exploring a possible change in the zoning code.<br />
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SELECTED EXCERPTS FROM THE BOARD DISCUSSION</div>
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Commissioner Mason: "<i>I'd like to see just how much interest there is out there before asking staff to look into this further."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Commissioner Robinson: ". . . <i>we got an email </i>(shown below) <i>of an action we took asking CLUCK to start educating the homeowners associations, neighborhood association and community organizations and to obtain community support and then to come back to us with that community support."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Commissioner Caragiulo: "<i>. . .we don't want to put a burden of basically get everyone to agree to a point and then bring it back to us." "I think it's a worthwhile discussion certainly. -- Frankly you do have gauge if there's any interest."</i><br />
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Commissioner Hines: "<i>Before we change our zoning code, I think we ask is there a public interest in doing this beyond, you know, five, ten, twenty people -- is there a public interest to do this? And, so, rather than us trying to go out and explore that public interest. . ." "We asked the folks to go out and maybe get some petitions signed or some information -- not necessarily bring in a bus of two hundred people (interruption) and public comments to do it and to see if there's interest and that hasn't occurred . . " "Maybe the timing is right, but if there's only twenty or thirty people in the county that wants this. . . that's what we've not heard". </i><br />
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Commissioner Caragiulo: "<i>Input is critical, I just wanted to make sure, you know what the standard was."</i><br />
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The four commissioner's questions were partially answered after lunch when Ann McAvoy submitted eight copies of her petition with 270 county signatures and 68 thoughtful text comments from County residents. She was followed by Todd Logan, who moved back to Osprey (from Anchorage!) and was dismayed to find he could not keep chickens. </div>
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CLUCK has been patient and Sarasota citizens have demonstrated that a significant number want the county to consider changing the rules. While we have waited, both Manatee and Pinellas Counties have legalized backyard hens.<br />
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So the first step is, and always has been, for the County
Commission to vote to direct staff to work with CLUCK and other backyard
chicken advocates to draft a strategy for single family residences to have
backyard hens. They may want to use the City of Sarasota’s ordinance as
a starting point, but that’s up to them. Then that draft language would move
through public hearings with the Planning Commission and the County Commission. Once there is a draft approach, CLUCK will undertake an effort to educate the public regarding the proposed provisions, but in the absence of a specific proposal, talking in generalizations about chickens is a futile effort. </div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">From:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Christine Robinson<br /><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 25, 2012 9:54 PM<br /><b>To:</b> Jono Miller; Carolyn Mason; Nora Patterson; Joseph Barbetta; Jon Thaxton<br /><b>Cc:</b> Randall Reid; Robert Kluson; Evangeline Linkous; Laney Poire<br /><b>Subject:</b> RE: chickens</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Jono,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">On behalf of the Commission, thank you for your e-mail and for your dialogue on this issue. Community buy-in is an important aspect of a change like this. The majority of the Commission would like to see CLUCK educate the HOAs, Neighborhood Associations, and Civic Associations on this issue and also get their buy-in before the county spends time and money to initiate a change in zoning rules. Some felt it would be difficult to get that through county-held neighborhood workshops and that CLUCK should make these efforts before we start down that path. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Personally, I thought your editorial was a good conversation piece that can be distributed to these groups to start the discussions. I also look forward to listening to the community dialogue on this topic absent initial government involvement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Thank you for your efforts and for your approach to this issue. We appreciated each of the speakers and their stories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Best Regards,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Christine Robinson</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Sarasota County Government</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sarasota, Florida 34236</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">941-861-5727</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Assisted by Robin Bayus</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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The editorial Commissioner Robinson referred to <a href="http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120909/COLUMNIST/309099998/2080/OPINION?p=3&tc=pg">can be found here.</a> </div>
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Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-34324757263098823522014-11-15T21:29:00.002-05:002014-11-16T11:39:10.420-05:00Nokomis Chicken Issue Re-Ignites Push for Backyard Hens in Sarasota CountyThree Barred Rocks have re-energized the five-year-old quest to legalize backyard hens in Unincorporated Sarasota. The three hens, Big Barb, Wendy, and Lucy, belong to Christina and Tyler Korman who assumed it was okay to have a few egg-producing pets in Nokomis.<br />
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On August 20th they were informed they had about two weeks to get rid of the birds or face a daily fine of $250 dollars. But instead of giving up or paying a fine, the couple got creative and secured permission to have their birds serve as "s<a href="http://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/2010/08/13-flocks-keeping-sarasota-safe.html">entinel chickens</a>", which provide a valuable service to the county. In addition the neighbor that complained, rethought things.<br />
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On Friday November 14th, instead of being directed to pay $18,250, Special Magistrate Robert Zack gave the couple until December 19th to see if the County Commission might be sympathetic to their plight and direct staff to work on changing the rules.<br />
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This deadline has motived Sarasota CLUCK members who have been looking for an opportunity to re-invigorate the campaign that started in June of 2009. After 18 months the group secured a three year trial period in the City of Sarasota. Meanwhile the group tried to interest the Sarasota County Commission in allowing hens in the Unincorporated County. One common question was: "What is the experience in the City?" That was answered in <a href="http://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/2014/02/cluck-milestone-city-chickens-pass.html">early 2014 at the end of three year trial period when the City Commission made the change permanent.</a> Despite the City success, the former County Commission showed little interest in making a change.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Since CLUCK was formed <span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">backyard hens have been allowed in Duval County (Jacksonville), Manatee County, Hernando County, and Pinellas County. Their experience, combined with the realities in the City of Sarasota and Venice, argue that Sarasota </span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">County now needs to bring county rules into alignment with the City. </span></span><br />
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On Tuesday the 18th a new Commission will be seated, one that includes Paul Caragiulo, who was a City Commissioner during the initial CLUCK campaign. The intersection of the Magistrate's deadline with the new commission has county chicken advocates optimistic that the Commission will finally listen to their requests.<br />
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<a href="http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20141114/ARTICLE/141119821/2416/NEWS?Title=Nokomis-chicken-owners-given-more-time-to-keep-pet-poultry&tc=ar">Read the Sarasota Herald Tribune story here.</a>Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-90797581212413138872014-03-12T20:50:00.002-04:002014-03-13T07:39:20.781-04:00CLUCK Looking for Volunteers for Sarasota County Fair<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Volunteers are needed for the Small Animal Tent of the upcoming Sarasota Co Fair. They are now in the process of assigning time slots for our volunteers. FYI – we are in need of volunteers for 2 hour shifts from Friday March 14th to Saturday March 22nd.</span><br /><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1119324367915503849" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 578px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: large; line-height: 1.4;">If you are interested in volunteering, email Jamie Besselman at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size: large; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><a href="mailto:blechky@scgov.net" style="color: #771100;">jbesselm@scgov.net</a></span></span></span></div>
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Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-56778140117105505022014-02-25T10:29:00.000-05:002014-02-26T09:41:25.679-05:00Sarasota CLUCK back in the NewsIt's been quite awhile, but it was worth waiting for the most recent Sarasota Herald-Tribune article dealing with backyard chickens and Sarasota CLUCK, which occupies most of the front page of the local section. The February 25th 2014 article titled <b><a href="http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20140224/ARTICLE/140229836/0/search">Chickens pass their test</a> </b>by Ian Cummings features longtime CLUCK supporter Fran Tiner and, indirectly, Betsy, Pippy, Rose, and Roz, Fran's four hens.<br />
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Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-40460498911362097272014-02-19T01:47:00.002-05:002014-02-19T07:07:16.522-05:00CLUCK Milestone: City Chickens Pass Three Year Probationary Period<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Three years ago, thirty Sarasotans attempted to convince four Sarasota City Commissioners that, despite the dire warnings of ten other Sarasotans, a negative vote from the Planning Commission, and a stalemated position from the important local neighborhood congress, CCNA, the sky would not fall if they allowed City residents with single family homes to have as many as four hens in their backyards. The Board discussion was tense until Fredd Atkins cut through the fog and made it clear that three votes were there, enabling Dick Clapp to make it <span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><a href="http://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/2011/01/unanimous-approval.html" style="background-color: white;">a four-zero vot</a><a href="http://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/2011/01/unanimous-approval.html" style="background-color: white;">e</a></span>. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE SKY DID NOT FALL.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Three years and one month later, on February 18th, 2014 another commission, based on the recommendation of staff, voted unanimously to make permanent their three year experiment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">No one was there to speak against making the ordinance permanent, in part because chicken complaint calls since passage have averaged just one-third of one percent of all code complaint calls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In addition to the support of staff and the commission, special thanks are due longtime supporters Kafi Benz, Megan Jourdan, and Virginia Hoffman for their testimony. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BxV0QklysQk/UwRbPdnooYI/AAAAAAAAAhg/0w5Pur20XtM/s1600/cluck+victory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BxV0QklysQk/UwRbPdnooYI/AAAAAAAAAhg/0w5Pur20XtM/s1600/cluck+victory.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virginia Hoffman, Ann McVoy, Fran Tiner, Arlene Boyle, Jono Miller, Laney Poire<br />
Missing from photo: Megan Jourdan, Betsy Roberts, Jodi John, Ray Sullivan,<br />
Carolyn Loesch, Amy Boyd, and April.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now a new push is needed to bring the benefits of backyard hens to traditional neighborhoods in the Unincorporated portions of Sarasota County.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the past three years, backyard hens have been allowed in Duval County (Jacksonville), Manatee County, Hernando County, and Pinellas County. Their experience, combined with the realities in the City of Sarasota and Venice, argue that Sarasota County now needs to bring county rules into alignment with the City. </span></div>
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Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-25078880086412414902014-02-02T19:20:00.003-05:002014-02-03T13:12:28.227-05:00Despite no Roosters, CLUCK crows a little<span style="font-size: large;">Sometime between the first and second of February, 2104, our Sarasota CLUCK blog recorded its one hundred thousandth pageview, an average of about 59 pageviews a day since the first posting back on June 11th 2009. And with over 250 different blog postings, there is quite a selection of information. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This milestone is a reflection of the role CLUCK has played, not just in Sarasota, but actually worldwide. Over 2,000 pageviews for both the United Kingdom and over 1,000 pageviews each for Germany, Australia, Canada, France and the Ukraine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our listing of funky facts has been viewed 5,588 times and our advice about coop design in Southwest Florida has been viewed nearly 2,900 times. Perhaps more importantly, our annotated version of the City of Sarasota's chicken ordinance has been viewed over 2,800 times.</span></div>
Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-14439703928267175292014-01-27T17:45:00.000-05:002014-01-27T17:45:36.391-05:00CLUCK News: Consumer Reports Dings Grocery Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GD1APXs6kHI/UubWcCHWvOI/AAAAAAAAAgk/8v6o93134MY/s1600/2014-01-27+16.24.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GD1APXs6kHI/UubWcCHWvOI/AAAAAAAAAgk/8v6o93134MY/s1600/2014-01-27+16.24.05.jpg" height="320" width="320"></a></div>
In a seven-page story that filled the cover of the February 2014 Consumer Reports, the magazine tested more than 300 raw chicken breasts and concluded "97% harbored bacteria that could make you sick". <br>
<a href="https://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/2014/01/cluck-news-consumer-reports-dings.html#more">Read more »</a>Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-76307118185905923322014-01-26T16:03:00.002-05:002014-01-26T16:21:18.525-05:00CLUCK "Re-Coops" - Two Meetings in February<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sarasota CLUCK is back in gear with two important events in February. </span>(And with 99,595 pageviews on January 26th, we're about to celebrate 100,000 pageviews!)<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">First, on Saturday February 8th, another Chickens 101 Workshop is being offered by our local Sarasota Extension Office. (See poster below for details). If you've been curious about chickens and or have some and need more information, don't miss this half-day workshop. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Then, ten days later, on Tuesday February 18th at 5:00 p.m. we're holding a CLUCK meeting in downtown Sarasota for the purpose of "re-cooping". Yes, we're restarting the campaign to legalize backyard hens in suburban areas of unincorporated Sarasota County. We've been biding our time, and believe this is a great time to restart the effort. The location is still being determined. Leave a comment and we'll be sure to let you know where we're meeting. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbM5JDmijJY/UuV3Va2j6eI/AAAAAAAAA18/gqcSzBzYH2s/s1600/Chickens101_Flyer_Feb+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbM5JDmijJY/UuV3Va2j6eI/AAAAAAAAA18/gqcSzBzYH2s/s1600/Chickens101_Flyer_Feb+8.jpg" height="640" width="492" /></a></div>
<br />Jono Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865143680740844920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-54525099795866274672013-10-04T22:16:00.000-04:002013-10-04T22:16:03.198-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1J0WgkK1yE/Uk91sfmYOMI/AAAAAAAAAgM/4jG6V0f0zMc/s1600/chicken+101.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1J0WgkK1yE/Uk91sfmYOMI/AAAAAAAAAgM/4jG6V0f0zMc/s320/chicken+101.tiff" width="265" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-84525644724259896532013-08-12T22:22:00.000-04:002013-08-14T08:04:52.578-04:00Jacksonville Planning Staff: Anti-Chicken Speculation Posing as Objective Analysis?Elected officials rely on their planning staffs for objective consideration of proposed changes to ordinances and codes. Staff are expected to use the best available data and analysis when they issue reports. That's not to say their professional experience should not be brought to bear, but it should be substantiated, if not because elected leaders may be linking their reputation to their reliance on staff analysis, then because government decisions sometimes need to withstand legal challenge.<br />
<br />
The City of Jacksonville, Florida has been considering relaxing the rules on chicken keeping. Jacksonville is unique because the City boundary is synonymous with the (Duval) county boundary. Staff was asked to weigh in on the proposed changes, and has done so. [Planning Staff Report 2013-0415].<br />
<br />
The question is: does their analysis reflect the best available professional information, or is it really a collection of unsubstantiated and unreferenced allegations that cannot stand up to scrutiny?<br />
<br />
Probably the most current and authoritative review of current "backyard chicken" la<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ws is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Jaime Bovier's<a href="http://elr.info/news-analysis/42/10888/illegal-fowl-survey-municipal-laws-relating-backyard-poultry-and-model"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #992211;"> </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a18; text-decoration: none;"><b><a href="http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2119494">Illegal Fowl: </a></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a18;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #992211;"><a href="http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2119494">A Survey of Municipal Laws Relating to Backyard Poultry and a Model Ordinance for Regulating City Chickens</a></span>,</b> which was published by <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. This 33 page report was not produced by a chicken advocacy group, but rather a group that "<i>fosters, innovative, just and practical law and policy solutions to enable leaders across borders and sectors to make environmental, economic, and social progress</i>."</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a18;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So let's compare just three examples of Jacksonville Planning Staff </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(JPS) statements with findings of the ELI report:</span><br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a18;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">NOISE</span></span></span></h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a18;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">JPS </span></span></span><br />
While four hens may not sound like much, the
peace and tranquility of a single family neighborhood could very well be
altered when multiple neighbors introduce chickens. As the hens are treated as
accessory uses (due to being placed under 656.403), the setback standards are
merely five feet from the nearest side and rear property line. It may well be inappropriate
to allow hens so close to a neighboring yard and dwelling.<br />
<br />
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Arial;"> ELI </span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Helvetica;">The most frequently expressed concern is that hens will be noisy. This may come from associating roosters with hens. Roosters are noisy.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">81 </span>Hens are not particularly noisy. While they will cluck, the clucking is neither loud nor frequent.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">82 </span>The clucking of hens is commonly compared to human conversation—both register around 65 decibels.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">83 </span>By contrast, the barking of a single dog can reach levels well over 100 decibels.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">84</span></span><br />
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Arial; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It should also be noted that chickens have a homing instinct to roost and sleep at night. A hen will return to her coop at night and generally fall asleep before or at sundown.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">85 </span>Thus, there should be little concern with clucking hens disturbing a neighborhood at night.</span></div>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Arial; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: Arial;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">ODOR</span></h2>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Arial; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">JPS</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Arial;">There are thousands of single-family
dwellings, both new and old, with minimal yard space. This could result in the
concentration of chicken droppings, possibly leading to odor and health issues.
There are no specific rules or regulations regarding the disposal or management
of the droppings. Therefore, neighbors would have to rely on Animal Care and
Control to enforce Section 462.301(c) . . .</span><!--EndFragment--></span></div>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Arial; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Arial; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">ELI</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Many people are concerned that chicken droppings will cause odors that reach neighbors and perhaps even affect the neighborhood. These concerns may stem from publicized reports of odors from large poultry operations.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">86 </span>While it is no doubt true that the odors coming from these intensive commercial-scale chicken farms is overwhelming and harmful,<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">87 </span>these operations often have hundreds of thousands of chickens in very small spaces.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">88</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Most of the odor that people may associate with poultry is actually ammonia. Ammonia, however, is a product of a poorly ventilated and moist coop.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">89 </span>Coop designs for backyard hens should take this into account and allow for proper ventilation. And, if coops are regularly cleaned, there should be little to no odor associated with the hens.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">90</span></span></div>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2 style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>PROPERTY VALUES</b></span></span></h2>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">JPS</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
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<!--StartFragment-->One of the main purposes of the Zoning Code
is to provide property owners with a reasonable expectation of how neighboring
properties can be developed. A current expectation is that farm animals are not
allowed in residential developments. The introduction of hens could have an
impact upon the desirability of living in certain neighborhoods, thereby
impacting property values. <!--EndFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">ELI</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Another common concern is that keeping backyard chick- ens will reduce surrounding property values.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">108 </span>Several studies, however, have found that agricultural uses within the city actually increase property values.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">109 </span>Community gardens increase neighboring property values by as much as 9.4% when the garden is first implemented.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">110 </span>The property value continues to increase as the gardens become more integrated into the neighborhood.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">111 </span>The poorest neighbor- hoods, moreover, showed the greatest increase in property values.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">112 </span>Studies have also found that rent increased and the rates of home ownership increased in areas surrounding a newly opened community garden.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">113</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="color: #1a1a18; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Studies concerning pets, moreover, find that apartment owners can charge higher rent for concessions such as allowing pets.<span style="font: 6.4px Helvetica;">114 </span>Thus, accommodating pets has been shown to raise property values.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As of yet, no studies have been done on how backyard chickens in particular affect property values, but given that communities express little concern that other pets, such as dogs or cats, reduce property values, and given research showing that pets and urban agricultural practices can increase them, there is little reason to believe that allowing backyard chickens will negatively affect them.<span style="font: normal normal normal 6.4px/normal Helvetica;">115</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The two reports go on in similar veins. The ELI concludes with a model ordinance based on analysis of 100 cities that allow chickens, while the Jacksonville Planning Staff's</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> negative, unbalanced assessment goes on conclude that the proposed changes would be contrary to the comprehensive plan. For instance, there doesn't seem to be much mention of the aspect of Objective 2.2 that calls for "<b>re</b></span><b>-emergence of diverse urban neighborhoods."</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Bear in mind the Jacksonville Planning Staff report appears to have no citations, no references, and no supporting materials, while the ELI report has 463 citations. And other municipal planners have reached conclusions that differ significantly from Jacksonville. Check out <a href="http://www.springfieldmo.gov/pdfs/chickenPres.pdf">the findings prepared by Springfield Missouri's planner</a>. And if backyard hens were as debilitating and threatening to neighborhoods as the Jacksonville Planning Staff would have you believe: </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">• What does that say about Manatee, Hernando, Pinellas, and Orange counties, (not to mention the cities of Tampa and Sarasota) all of which approved backyard hens in the last three years??</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">• And why, in 2010, would <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2012637877_council_raises_chicken_limit_b.html">Seattle have voted to INCREASE</a> the number of chickens people could have in the city from three to eight?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• And if Jacksonville's lots are too small, how do we explain the fact that Jacksonville is one of only six of the <a href="http://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/p/americas-largest-chicken-cities.html">25 largest US cities</a> to prohibit backyard hens? The other 19, including New York and San Francisco, allow chickens. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">So what do you think? Does the Jacksonville Planning document reflect the best available data and analysis? Or is it burdened with unsubstantiated speculation that should not be used to evaluate the proposed ordinance?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #003366;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bouvier, Jaime M., Illegal Fowl: A Survey of Municipal Laws Relating to Backyard Poultry and a Model Ordinance for Regulating City Chickens (July 27, 2012). 42 Environmental Law Reporter 10888 (Sept. 2012). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2119494</span></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">"</span>A survey of municipal ordinances in the top 100 most populous cities in the United States that concern keeping and raising chickens offers lessons that may be applied to designing a model ordinance. This survey reveals that chickens are, perhaps surprisingly, legal in the vast majority of large cities. The survey also identifies regulatory norms and some effective and less effective ways to regulate the keeping of chickens. A proposed model ordinance, based on the background information and survey results, could be adopted by a city or easily modified to fit a city’s unique needs."</span></i></div>
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Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-13828018593010238982013-08-08T21:28:00.001-04:002013-08-09T08:11:54.971-04:00Manatee CLUCK Urban Chicken Workshop Sunday Aug 11 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2RvjBDF-LVY/UgRFjfnoWdI/AAAAAAAAAfs/PZBsba3Xwu4/s1600/Manatee+Cluck+flyer+3-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2RvjBDF-LVY/UgRFjfnoWdI/AAAAAAAAAfs/PZBsba3Xwu4/s640/Manatee+Cluck+flyer+3-1.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
<br />Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598532660596557225.post-24873451778006022942013-07-22T20:47:00.000-04:002013-07-23T17:02:00.544-04:00CLUCK's News: Tampa OKs Chickens, plus news from Gainesville, Indian River County, and Madeira Beach<div style="text-align: justify;">
TBO summed it up in six words: <a href="http://tbo.com/news/politics/chickens-now-legal-in-tampa-backyards-20130721/">Chickens Now Legal in Tampa Backyards.</a> The Tampa City Commision voted 5-2 to allow hens (one bird per 1,000 square feet of lot) in the City. Part of the action was redefining chickens from "livestock" to "pets".<br>
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According to the<a href="http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130720/ARTICLES/130719514/1002/news?Title=You-soon-may-be-able-to-keep-more-chickens"> Gainesville Sun</a>, some Gainesville residents are lobbying to increase the number of backyard hens from only two to between four and six. A feed store owner estimates there are between 500 and 1,000 chicken keepers in Gainesville. </div>
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<a href="http://m.tcpalm.com/news/2013/jul/17/urban-chicken-movement-sweeping-indian-river-count/">TCPalm </a>is reporting that the urban chicken movement is "sweeping" Indian River County. Three hens can be kept on residential properties in the unincorporated county. But cities such as Vero Beach prohibit "livestock and fowl" - reflecting old stereotypes about the pets that are less problematic and more productive than more common pets.</div>
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FInally, Madeira Beach's <a href="http://www.churchbythesea.com/">Church by the Sea</a> is a diverse denominational house of worship that has been attracting visitors for what some believe are the wrong reason. Although the church was built in 1944, it took an insightful photographer to re-envision the steeple as a chicken. Once posted on the internet, the image drew the curious to see for themselves.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YjN2alkFGjY/Ue3ETpO_aFI/AAAAAAAAAe8/wx6PKYqurEE/s1600/Sept+09-open-33.5+pts-2nd+place.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YjN2alkFGjY/Ue3ETpO_aFI/AAAAAAAAAe8/wx6PKYqurEE/s640/Sept+09-open-33.5+pts-2nd+place.jpg" width="505"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by the Queen's Jester<br>
http://lifeinacannedham.blogspot.com/2011/03/eyes-of-march.html</td></tr>
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<a href="https://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/2013/07/clucks-florida-chicken-news-gainesville.html#more">Read more »</a>Cluckershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04875828973785941688noreply@blogger.com0