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Chicken Little VS Fayette County

When Fayette County zoning officials showed up and told us we can't keep our chickens on our 2.5 acres of woods, we were shocked.  Even more surprising - it's not in the ordinance - not a word!  But that hasn't stopped them from bullying people all over our county forcing them to give up their 4-H projects, hobby birds, and backyard chickens. Yes, we love our chickens and want to keep them, but this is really about private property rights, government overreach, and abuse of power.  Help us fight back - every dollar helps - thank you!  

Quick Facts:
*Our township said we can have chickens, so we've had chickens here for over 4 years.
*The county showed up a year ago and said chickens aren't allowed - 2.5 acres and not 1 chicken can stay!
*We already spent $4500 on our first hearing at the county zoning board.
*Fayette County politics is, well, close-knit, if you know what I mean, so we lost at the zoning hearing board.
*They're trying to drain our resources so we'll give up.
*The county has been doing this to folks for years, enforcing a rule that is NOT on the books.
*Our zoning attorney is confident that we'll win in court.
*Our win will be a win for everyone in Fayette County, PA who wants to keep backyard chickens in a residential zone.  And it may even act as a precedent for people in other areas.  

The long version:  

 We had spent over 2 years looking for a house, and before we looked at any house, we called the township to find out if chickens were allowed.  We called Bullskin Township (where our house is) before we made an offer on it, and the Township Supervisor told us that chickens were allowed.  Just for reference, we live in a wooded community.  We have a well and septic system, we use oil and propane for heat and cooking.  Many families keep chickens, goats, and even pigs in our area; it's very rural.  


4 years later, we were happily living with our chickens, when the county zoning officer showed up and told us we had to get rid of them! 

Our zoning lawyer is certain that the county ordinance says NOTHING that dissallows pet, backyard chickens in our zone, and he is shocked that the zoning hearing board has decided against us; legally speaking, we are clearly in the right. The ordinance does not allow commercial agriculture in residentially zoned areas, defining agriculture as "commercial production for market..."   For many years the county has been enforcing this to mean any chicken, goose, duck, turkey, goat, etc, even those kept for personal use or as pets.  No one has ever challenged them - who could afford to! - and so they continue to enforce this non-existent rule.  Even after our hearing, they required a legal brief to prove our case; that cost a lot of money.  So it seems to us that they want to drain our resources and make us go away.  

So, you see, this is not just for us, but for everyone in Fayette County, PA who would like to keep backyard chickens in a residential zoning district.  If we win, the county will have to stop bullying people, misusing their ambiguous ordinance and stepping on our property rights by forcing us to give up our backyard birds!
  

The appeal process to the Pennsylvania Court is underway, and we just can't afford to fight alone anymore.   Penny and Lightening, Buddy, Bip, and Bop, and the rest of our small flock will be forever grateful for ANY help you can give - small or large.  It will help us personally and will also send a message to government that they can't push the little people (and birds!) around anymore!  


Thank you for reading and for whatever gift you can give to help us make a stand for pets and property rights.

Organizer

Theresa Sabatini
Organizer
Bullskin Township, PA

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