This petition is to let Vineland City Council and the Planning Board know that the residents of Vineland would like an ordiance included in our city code that allows us to own chickens as pets!
Currently a zoning ordinance that covers land use is being used to force backyard chicken owners to rehome their pet chickens, with the zoning director and code enforcement stating that ANY amount of chickens on a property constitutes a farm. The ordinance is in the vineland code under 425-269(ecode360.com).
I am working with city council to have an ordiance created and passed that specifically allows chickens as backyard pets in Vineland. Over 13 different South Jersey cities have passed similar ordinances over the past 5 years, and it has been benenficial to those town, with no complaints from neigbors of chickens owners! Below is some of the basic ordiance language we are working with (this is not exclusive but a stepping off point).
Please Sign and share even if you don't want to own chickens!
1. Backyard chicken ownership to be a licenced pet, the same as a cat or dog. Licencing by coop i.e. $20 per coop a year paid to the city.
2. Backyard chickens to be kept as pets only. No private citizen may use backyard chickens for agricultural means (i.e. raising meat birds to slaughter, selling eggs, breeding and selling chicks)
3. Backyard chickens may consist of only a flock of hens, roosters prohibited.
4. All chickens must have an appropriately sized coop and attached run. Free roaming outside of a run or fenced area promotes predators and poses a risk to vehicles and roadways. Guidance for a coop and run are as follows:
At least 2-4 sq feet of coop floor space hen
At least 10 square feet of run space per hen
Example: for a flock of 8 standard sized hens a total of 112 square feet of space would be needed for a responsibly housed flock (32 Sq. Ft of indoor coop space and 80 sq. Ft of outdoor run space). A .25 acre lot with a 2,100 Square foot house footprint would afford over 8,000 square feet of yard making it possible to easily house a flock of 8 or more responsibly.
5. The chicken coop and run of a backyard flock must stand at minimum 20 feet from all neighboring home's windows and doors.
Sign and share! No address needed!
Updates
November 12, 2020
The Vineland City Council and the Planning Board continue to treat our pets like livestock while ignoring the common sense ordinances that work in neighboring towns. I am currently digging through their outdated zoning definitions to dismantle their pathetic excuses for forcing us to rehome our birds. We will not back down until these bureaucrats stop harassing families over a few backyard hens.
November 12, 2020
The Vineland City Council continues to pretend their outdated zoning code is the only way to govern our backyards but this surge in support proves they are completely out of touch. They are hiding behind bureaucracy while we are ready to bring our local laws into this century. Keep the pressure on these officials until they stop treating our pets like agricultural nuisances.
20 Comments
Totally agree. Cant wait to get some for the kids to help out with.
Fresh eggs right in the backyard would be awesome. Why is the city trying to stop us from being self sufficient?
Everyone should be able to own chickens if they have the space and are able to care for them.
My neighbors have them already and you cant even hear them. Stop worrying about nothing.
PLEASE let us have chickens. It is ridiculous that we cant have a few hens in our own yard.
Please Let us have chickens thanks
This is her baby
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This petition is to let Vineland City Council and the Planning Board know that the residents of Vineland would like an ordiance included in our city code that allows us to own chickens as pets!
Currently a zoning ordinance that covers land use is being used to force backyard chicken owners to rehome their pet chickens, with the zoning director and code enforcement stating that ANY amount of chickens on a property constitutes a farm. The ordinance is in the vineland code under 425-269(ecode360.com).
I am working with city council to have an ordiance created and passed that specifically allows chickens as backyard pets in Vineland. Over 13 different South Jersey cities have passed similar ordinances over the past 5 years, and it has been benenficial to those town, with no complaints from neigbors of chickens owners! Below is some of the basic ordiance language we are working with (this is not exclusive but a stepping off point).
Please Sign and share even if you don't want to own chickens!
1. Backyard chicken ownership to be a licenced pet, the same as a cat or dog. Licencing by coop i.e. $20 per coop a year paid to the city.
2. Backyard chickens to be kept as pets only. No private citizen may use backyard chickens for agricultural means (i.e. raising meat birds to slaughter, selling eggs, breeding and selling chicks)
3. Backyard chickens may consist of only a flock of hens, roosters prohibited.
4. All chickens must have an appropriately sized coop and attached run. Free roaming outside of a run or fenced area promotes predators and poses a risk to vehicles and roadways. Guidance for a coop and run are as follows:
At least 2-4 sq feet of coop floor space hen
At least 10 square feet of run space per hen
Example: for a flock of 8 standard sized hens a total of 112 square feet of space would be needed for a responsibly housed flock (32 Sq. Ft of indoor coop space and 80 sq. Ft of outdoor run space). A .25 acre lot with a 2,100 Square foot house footprint would afford over 8,000 square feet of yard making it possible to easily house a flock of 8 or more responsibly.
5. The chicken coop and run of a backyard flock must stand at minimum 20 feet from all neighboring home's windows and doors.
Sign and share! No address needed!
Updates
November 12, 2020
The Vineland City Council and the Planning Board continue to treat our pets like livestock while ignoring the common sense ordinances that work in neighboring towns. I am currently digging through their outdated zoning definitions to dismantle their pathetic excuses for forcing us to rehome our birds. We will not back down until these bureaucrats stop harassing families over a few backyard hens.
November 12, 2020
The Vineland City Council continues to pretend their outdated zoning code is the only way to govern our backyards but this surge in support proves they are completely out of touch. They are hiding behind bureaucracy while we are ready to bring our local laws into this century. Keep the pressure on these officials until they stop treating our pets like agricultural nuisances.
20 Comments
If they did this, it would be a lot less hassle for everyone. I'd be the first to sign this mother cluckin bill
Totally agree. Cant wait to get some for the kids to help out with.
Fresh eggs right in the backyard would be awesome. Why is the city trying to stop us from being self sufficient?
Everyone should be able to own chickens if they have the space and are able to care for them.
My neighbors have them already and you cant even hear them. Stop worrying about nothing.
PLEASE let us have chickens. It is ridiculous that we cant have a few hens in our own yard.
Please Let us have chickens thanks
This is her baby
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If they did this, it would be a lot less hassle for everyone. I'd be the first to sign this mother cluckin bill