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Across the Fence:  One of the MJF Hens in the news!  |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 06:23:17 AM
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Congrats TJ! I am so excited at the progress you are making with your passions!
Backyard chicken farmers win round at City Council
Story
Discussion
Chicken fanciers won a partial victory at a meeting of the Billings City Council Monday night.
The council first voted to delay for 30 days a vote on a change to city codes that would have made the ban on backyard chickens more explicit.
Then, the council voted 6-3 (with Denis Pitman and Jani McCall absent) to ask city planning staff to study backyard hen ordinances in Missoula and Bozeman and bring a draft ordinance back to the council at a later date.
A little earlier in the meeting, the president of Magic City Hens, T.J. Wierenga, told the council that it took chicken fanciers in Anchorage, Alaska, eight years to get an ordinance passed that allowed backyard hens.
“We will be here for eight years if that’s what it takes,” she said.
The council considered this issue last fall, but at an informal work session in November asked staff to stop working on a possible ordinance.
Three new council members joined the council since then, however, and all three of them voted with the majority Monday in asking staff to prepare a draft ordinance.
Those three, Becky Bird, Ken Crouch and Brent Cromley, joined Jim Ronquillo, Rich McFadden and Ed Ulledalen.
The three who voted “no” were Mayor Tom Hanel and council members Angela Cimmino and Mark Astle.
The text amendment would have made the code clearer.
Zoning coordinator Nicole Cromwell said the way the code is written now, you have to look at three different sections of it to determine whether raising poultry is allowed in the city.
All along, the chicken proponents have proposed an ordinance that would limit people to six chickens, hens only, with no roosters allowed.
In a public hearing on the change to city code, eight people spoke in favor of backyard hens, with no one opposed.
Council members did not let the subject go without making a few more cracks about chickens.
Astle, the most outspoken opponent, said, “If it ain’t cooked, I don’t like chickens.”
Bird said it was time to OK chickens and move on.
“We’ve got bigger chickens to fry than backyard hens,” she said.
In other action, the council granted a special review that will allow the Vig Alehouse and Casino at 501 Hilltop Rd. to upgrade to a full-beverage liquor license from its current beer and wine license.
Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/government-and-politics/backyard-chicken-farmers-win-round-at-city-council/article_75700ef3-34ec-5985-8688-8d419bdbe292.html#ixzz1qPwfxDXP
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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GirlwithHook
True Blue Farmgirl
922 Posts
Alyce
Madison
WI
USA
922 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 06:27:24 AM
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Congratulations!
A hook, a book, and a good cup of coffee.... |
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SpyChicken
True Blue Farmgirl
436 Posts
Christine
Fond du Lac
WI
USA
436 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 06:29:13 AM
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Yay! |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 06:30:17 AM
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yipee
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 07:30:12 AM
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I wish we had someone like her around here!!! Our council has voted them out 4 times that I know of. I'm still there every time it comes up, but no luck so far.
Good for you!!!!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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Simple Living
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Joan
Staten Island
NY
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 11:40:44 AM
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Congratulations also!
Friends are the Flowers in the Garden of Life
Farmgirl #3842 |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 1:57:12 PM
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Good going TJ! I thought my old home town of Littleton CO was backwards but they voted the OK for backyard hens in 2010 (I moved in 2009 wouldn't you know it)! I can't believe Billings, with all the farms and ranchs nearby, hasn't jumped on the bandwagon!
Audrey
.jpg) Good boy Hobbs! I love and miss you. |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 6:24:25 PM
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Woot, woot!
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922
I am trying to be the person my dogs think I am.
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
- E. B. White |
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sonshine4u
Chapter Guru
1205 Posts
April
New Prague
MN
USA
1205 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 6:44:48 PM
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How exciting!!! Way to go girl!
Playing in the Sonshine
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rough start farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3331 Posts
marianne
The Beautiful Pacific NW
Washington State
USA
3331 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 8:03:37 PM
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Congratulations!
Marianne |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 8:45:08 PM
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Wahoooooooo! Way to show em TJ! Good for you for standing up for what is right!
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2012 : 9:03:14 PM
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Awesome! You GO TJ!!!
(\_/)
(='.'=)
(") (")*
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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FarmDream
True Blue Farmgirl
1085 Posts
Julie
TX
USA
1085 Posts |
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beachymom
True Blue Farmgirl
467 Posts
Kathy
Manchester
Tennessee
USA
467 Posts |
Posted - Mar 29 2012 : 5:24:10 PM
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I really wish I could have chickens here in my backyard. None of my neighbors would mind as long as no rooster & no smell. Neither would be a problem. Wishing doesn't work. I can't even get the council to hear me. Seems I'm the only person in my county with this desire,
Boo hoo.
Kathy
Farmgirl Sister #3983
Take care of the land and it will take care of you. |
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smiley
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
lea
pea ridge
arkansas
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Mar 29 2012 : 7:03:54 PM
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| Way to go!! |
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Across the Fence: One of the MJF Hens in the news! |
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One of the MJF Hens in the news!
