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<font size="+1"><font face="Comic Sans MS">Thanks so much, Kit, for
reciting from Moscow's animal control<br>
rules.<br>
<br>
Last night I tried finding City Ordinances for the regulation of<br>
fowl and livestock, but couldn't find any.<br>
<br>
I just didn't know where to look, I guess.<br>
<br>
But a long time ago, when I was on P&Z, and then on the City<br>
Council, I think it was listed right in the permitted uses for<br>
each [then] RS [sic] single-family residential zone. It was<br>
a small number of fowl. Other animals were listed as<br>
strictly prohibited, as for example, pigs.<br>
<br>
I gather that the "rules" have been re-codified, or re-written,<br>
whatever?<br>
<br>
Anyway, if others are raising chickens in "R" zones, apparently<br>
they are violating "the law", according to what you recited!<br>
<br>
Last year I was visiting a family member in a very old residential<br>
district of Portland, on 12th, just a block south of Burnside, on<br>
the east side of the river. I was astonished at the raising of<br>
chickens in a small poultry-netting enclosure which set on the<br>
side yard, right out to the edge of the paved sidewalk.<br>
<br>
I looked forward to those visits, because I liked to cluck to<br>
the chickens and poke some blades of grass to them through<br>
the netting. Their behavior fascinates me.<br>
<br>
Last week, we visited the Nez Perce County Fair's fowl and<br>
rabbits barn. I like both the rabbits and the chickens, ducks<br>
and geese. What a wonderful display it was, what with all<br>
the "critters" from which young people learn by raising and<br>
showing them.<br>
<br>
But in Moscow, right next door! This strikes me as a real<br>
dilemma of moving to so-called "sustainability". How do we<br>
adjust to timely cultural needs and revise ordinances coined<br>
for maybe now, old standards?<br>
<br>
Before I moved to Moscow in 1971, I lived on an anachronistic<br>
land parcel in an otherwise residential zone, about a mile<br>
from what is now California State University Northridge.<br>
I had about an acre. I let my half dozen Black Jersey Giant<br>
hens run loose on the property. They laid wherever it struck<br>
their fancy, and we gathered them for the kitchen. My two<br>
sons and daughter were all pre-school then, and had to be<br>
taught to watch were they walked outdoors, carefully, <br>
particularly when bare-footed in the summer. They are <br>
better off for the experience of having had a life experience<br>
with the chickens.<br>
<br>
I'm wondering if Moscow is too anally up-tight to ever permit<br>
a limited number of hens to be kept by any householder who<br>
chooses? It doesn't take very many to supply a family with<br>
eggs, that is if one buys the right breed of layers and treat<br>
them decently.<br>
<br>
Sam I am in Moscow<br>
</font></font><br>
Craine Kit wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:38D41E4A-FD39-4CEF-82C2-BC7D6DCF569D@verizon.net"
type="cite">According to Moscow City Code, Title 10 (Police
Regulations), it is legal to maintain up to 25 chickens on a 5,000
square foot lot.
<br>
<br>
HOWEVER
<br>
<br>
Moscow has an exclusionary zoning code. The police regulation ONLY
applies in zones which specifically state that chickens or fowl are
allowed. Those are the Agriculture/Forestry Zoning District (minimum
lot size 40 acres) and the Farm, Ranch, and Outdoor Recreation Zoning
District (minimum lot size 3 acres). Keeping chickens in all other
residential zones is a violation of the zoning code (i.e. illegal).
<br>
<br>
Kit Craine
<br>
<br>
------------------------------------------------------
<br>
TITLE 10 — POLICE REGULATIONS
<br>
<br>
Sec. 4-12. Maintaining Certain Animals Regulated. A. It shall be
unlawful to keep or maintain any fowl, rabbits, horses, cows, sheep
or goats within the City, except as provided in this Chapter. 1. To
maintain and keep fowl or rabbits, there must be at least five
thousand (5,000) square feet of real property for each twenty-five
(25) fowl or rabbits, and in no event shall any person keep or
maintain more than fifty (50) fowl or rabbits, and in no event shall
the fowl or poultry house, rabbit hutch, fowl, poultry, or rabbit run
be less than forty (40) feet from a dwelling other than that of the
owner.
<br>
<br>
Sec. 4-14. Locations; Structures; Pens; Enclosures. Animal
locations, structures, pens, corrals, and any other premises or
structures used for the keeping of and maintaining of horses, cows,
sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, doves and pigeons must be kept in a
clean and sanitary condition, free from obnoxious odors and
substances. All persons who keep or maintain any horses, cows,
sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, doves, or pigeons shall keep them
confined at all times in enclosures strong enough, or staked out, or
picketed on the premises, or in such a manner as to prevent said
animals or fowl from going upon the premises or property of another.
It shall be unlawful for any person keeping or maintaining any of
said animals or fowl to allow the same to create a disturbance to the
residents in the particular locality by creating any noise, odor or
damage to the adjacent property, and the keeping and maintaining of
said animals and fowl shall not interfere with the peaceful and quiet
enjoyment of such property by such adjacent owner and residents.
<br>
<br>
<br>
TITLE 4 — ZONING CODE
<br>
<br>
Sec. 2-2. Agriculture/Forestry Zoning District (AF).
<br>
B. Permitted Principal Uses and Structures:
<br>
1. Agriculture, including the raising, harvesting, and selling
of crops; on-site storage of grain and seed; the raising and sale of
livestock or poultry;
<br>
<br>
Sec. 2-3: Farm, Ranch, and Outdoor Recreation Zoning District (FR)
<br>
B. Permitted Principal Uses and Structures:
<br>
3. Hatching, raising and marketing poultry, provided no
building pertaining to this use shall be closer than fifty feet (50’)
to any property line.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Sep 29, 2009, at 7:08 PM, Sam Scripter wrote:
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">Really! I didn't know the City
Laws/Ordinances permitted
<br>
keeping chickens in residential zones in Moscow. Maybe it
<br>
is in small numbers?
<br>
<br>
Does this mean that I could be treated to the olfactory
<br>
essence of chickens if a breeze blew my direction from
<br>
a neighbor's property, in a Moscow R-1 Zone? And it
<br>
would be LEGAL?
<br>
<br>
My, oh my, what is this world coming to? Talk to owners
<br>
about how to "gather eggs"! Wow. I guess I'm just much
<br>
too old.
<br>
<br>
Hey, if somebody wants to offer me a mocha downtown,
<br>
I'll give them my personal stories about cleaning the
<br>
chicken roost, emptying the "chicken bucket" and watching
<br>
the chickens scurrying to get the best morsels, and,
<br>
actually gathering the eggs. I can add some zest by
<br>
telling tales of fowl slaughtering, dipping carcasses
<br>
in boiling water, plucking feathers, and singeing the
<br>
pin feathers with a burning newspaper.
<br>
<br>
Now if doing the above suddenly became "way cool" in
<br>
our culture, that would be really interesting, for sure!
<br>
<br>
Just grousing around, because the weather is getting cold . . .
<br>
MoscowSam I am
<br>
<br>
Bill London wrote:
<br>
<blockquote type="cite"><br>
The Moscow Food Co-op is sponsoring the first annual "Co-op Coop
Cruise"
<br>
from 4pm to 6pm on Sunday, October 11 to visit 4 backyard chicken coops
<br>
in Moscow.
<br>
<br>
The cruise participants will tour the backyard chicken coops, talk with
<br>
the owners to learn about the realities of raising chickens and
<br>
gathering eggs, and have the opportunity to ask questions about
starting
<br>
their own home poultry programs. Snacks and beverages will be provided
<br>
by the Co-op along the tour.
<br>
<br>
The cost of the Co-op Coop Cruise is $12 for adults, $5 for children
<br>
(children under 3 are free). Tickets can be purchased from any cashier
<br>
at the Moscow Food Co-op. Enrollment is limited.
<br>
<br>
The 4 chicken coops on the tour are all located at homes within
<br>
residential neighborhoods in the city of Moscow. The tour does not
<br>
include transportation. Participants must provide their own
<br>
transportation between coops.
<br>
<br>
The Co-op is located at 121 East Fifth Street in downtown Moscow.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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</blockquote>
=======================================================
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<br>
serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
<br>
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<br>
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</blockquote>
<br>
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</blockquote>
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