Butler Township Zoning Committee Questions and Answers

I made a trip over to the Butler Township municipal building to see how to appeal the notice we received about our chickens. Here is what they had to say...

1. "There are no exemptions for children in 4-H."

2. I asked them when these "laws" were changed, as my husbands family had chickens on this property in the 1970s, and the officer said he "doesn't know the exact date, but at least for 20 years they've been in place."

3. I asked them why other families in Butler have special exemptions and he said he "couldn't answer that, because they are enforcing the zoning law for my particular area." Which I later found out that in the actual city of Butler you are allowed to have chickens.

4. I asked him why they originally changed this as a law because it was not always there, and he said "because people were complaining about other peoples chickens going in their yard."

5. I told him since they are threatening to fine me $500 a day for violation of their law I am basically being convicted of a crime. I asked him who the injured party was because we haven't heard any complaints from our neighbors? He responded that "one of the zoning officers was driving by our house and saw junk vehicles in our driveway, which is another violation, and noticed we had chickens in our yard." - This is where I became more than a little upset because those "junk vehicles" are work trucks that we are currently fixing up and trying to sell. Which still have insurance and registration. So they basically admitted that they drive around and look for violations. Seems like invasion of privacy to me.

So in conclusion,

The City of Butler, I'm jealous you are allowed to have chickens. I'm 5 minutes outside of town and yet not allowed to. Butler Farm Show, you are in Connoquenessing Township and two minutes from me, and are allowed to have chickens! I'm in this circle and surrounded by chicken lawfulness that just doesn't make sense.

Also in conclusion we were told to apply for a variance which will cost $400 and there is no guarantee that the ruling of these ridiculous zoning laws will be retracted. So we have decided to take this to the township committee meeting and start a paper petition. If anyone wants to join us at the meeting please contact me either via facebook or email me at stephaniegreenmusic@gmail.com.

In the meantime my chickens have to be out of here by May 15th and will be boarded at a friends house 10 minutes away.

Thanks and God Bless!