Do you live in Hendry County, Florida?

[Rayven Family Homestead]

I feel so ignorant, but we're new to homesteading, and I can't seem to find this information anywhere. I'm trying to determine the laws, ordinances, and restrictions for owning farm animals in Hendry County, Florida. We plan to move to the area, but I don't want to end up in a place with restrictions on what I want. I tried looking up zoning and other similar departments of making you sad, but I can't find anything for the county itself, just the cities. The properties we're looking at are outside the city limits, so most likely unincorporated. I've also tried maps, forums, and social media. I seem to be spinning my wheels. Does anyone live in the area that can help me out or point me in the right direction? Thank you.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I feel so ignorant, but we're new to homesteading, and I can't seem to find this information anywhere. I'm trying to determine the laws, ordinances, and restrictions for owning farm animals in Hendry County, Florida. We plan to move to the area, but I don't want to end up in a place with restrictions on what I want. I tried looking up zoning and other similar departments of making you sad, but I can't find anything for the county itself, just the cities. The properties we're looking at are outside the city limits, so most likely unincorporated. I've also tried maps, forums, and social media. I seem to be spinning my wheels. Does anyone live in the area that can help me out or point me in the right direction? Thank you.

County Ordinances, Hendry County.

Linked from the County Web Page, here (under the Public Information tab).

Hendry treats chickens as Livestock (definitions section of the Ordinances, to wit:

Livestock is any animal, other than a domestic animal as defined herein, which is normally raised for harness, riding, food, milk, eggs, or wool for local consumption or sold to others, or those animals bred for those purposes and may include but are not limited to cows, horses, mules, goats or chicken or other animal commonly referred to as livestock.

It uses both Chicken and Fowl in its Code, as well as Poultry, making Keyword searches a little more onerous than normal.

Turning to Zoning, I find this -

1-53-3.7.1. Wheeler Estates development standards.

[...]

(e)

Agricultural use standards. New, non-commercial agricultural uses that are accessory to principal single-family residential uses may be initiated on parcels zoned RR-WE, subject to the following provisions:

(1)

Existing commercial agricultural uses on RR-WE zoned properties may be continued, until such time as the use is discontinued for a period of one year or more.

(2)

Permitted uses include the keeping of domestic farm animals for household use, green houses, and gardens. These uses shall only be permitted as an accessory use to the residential use.

(3)

Domestic farm animals for household use only, may be kept on parcels of any size in the RR-WE zoning district, provided that the number of animals on a parcel may not exceed the number set forth in the table below.

The following list is not cumulative for each parcel with the exception of poultry and hogs, which are permitted for each parcel regardless of size. For example, a 1.25-acre parcel is permitted a maximum of one horse or cow, two hogs and ten poultry. A 2.5-acre parcel is permitted one horse and one cow, four hogs, and 15 poultry.

		On parcels not exceeding 1.25 acres:	Allowed per additional 1.25 acres: (no fractional calculations permitted)
(1)	Horses, donkeys and/or mules	1	1
(2)	Cows	1	1
(3)	Hogs	2	2
(4)	Goats and/or sheep	5	3
(5)	Poultry	10	5
(6)	4-H animals, as defined in this chapter, are not subject to these restrictions.

You really want to start at table 53-1 and begin reading closely regarding Permitted and Special Exception Uses.

There is also a Special Permit process to allow agricultural use on any RR zoned property more than 5 acres in size.


-53-6.7. Agriculture in nonagriculturally zoned districts.

(a)

Whenever property is rezoned by this chapter or any amendment hereto, agricultural uses existing on the property at the time of rezoning may be continued.

(b)

For any parcel of land in the county, regardless of zoning, which is at least five acres in size, agricultural uses may be recommenced after discontinuance within three years after discontinuance.

(c)

In accordance with table 53-1, new agricultural uses may be initiated on parcels zoned residential/rural development (rr) which are at least five acres in size, upon the issuance of a special permit. The application for a special permit must be accompanied by a fee as established by the board of county commissioners.

[...]


(e)

Domestic animals for household use only may be kept on parcels of any size in the residential/rural development (RR) zoning district, provided that the number of animals on a parcel may not exceed the number set forth herein:

EXPAND

		On parcels not exceeding two acres:	Allowed per additional acre or fraction thereof:
(1)	Horses and cows	1 (total)	1 (total)
(2)	Hogs	2	2
(3)	Goats and/or sheep	5	3
(4)	Poultry	6	5
(5)	Llamas	2	2
(6)	Caged animals	10	5
(7)	Animals not listed above shall be subject to the restrictions for the most similar animal listed above.

(f)

Except as allowed by this section, no animals, other than common household pets for personal, noncommercial use by the occupants of a residence, may be kept on premises in any residential zoning district within the county.

(g)

Notwithstanding any other part of this chapter, the following shall apply to the RR-F zoning district:

(1)

Domestic farm animals for household use are allowed without numeric limit, except:

a.

The animals shall be properly enclosed on the possessor's property.

b.

The animals shall be fed, watered, and cared for in a humane and proper manner.

c.

The keeping of the animals under this subsection shall not be done in a manner which creates a common law nuisance.

d.

Animal waste shall not be allowed to remain on the premises in amounts which cause a health or environmental hazard.

e.

The animals may not be bred for sale and animal products may not be sold.

(2)

Barbed wire fences are allowed in this zoning district.

1-53-6.7A. Animal pens and similar structures in residential zoning districts. Except for those premises on which agricultural activity is allowed by subsection 1-53-6.7(a), (b) or (c), no outside cage, kennel, pen or other structure for the containment of animals shall be allowed in a residential zoning district except as provided in this section.

(1)

In all residential zoning districts other than RR, a single fence to contain dogs and/or cats and a shelter not exceeding eight square feet of floor or ground area shall be allowed. On parcels in excess of two acres, barns are allowed [not exceeding] 160 square feet per additional acre, or fraction thereof. Cages are allowed [not exceeding] an additional 50 square feet per acre, or fraction thereof.

(2)

In the RR zoning district, a barn not exceeding 250 square feet, necessary fences, and cages not exceeding 50 square feet of floor area shall be allowed.


EASY! and no, I don't live there. I just have odd reading habits and an unusual background. Hope this helps. Good luck on your Chicken journey!

Oh, before I forget - here is your Zoning Map

another MAP

Future Land Use (See what the plan for the Neighbors)

and a link to the GIS viewer, which anyone buying property should absolutely learn how to use.

 

[Rayven Family Homestead]

Thank you so much! I'm usually good at internet research, but this one really stumped me. Now to figure out what all this means. LOL