Backyard Chickens in Cobb County

In the case of Cobb County, Georgia's backyard ducks, the policy has a range of shortcomings. To be more specific, the reform issue in Cobb County concerns both backyard chicken supporters and opponents. Though this regulation allows residents of this county to rear chickens in their backyards, which is a significant improvement over the previous policy, which mandated those involved in rearing chickens to have approximately 50 acres of land, paying $150 as initial fees as well as $100 as a renewal fee after every two years, the current policy does not give residents the entire mandate of rearing chicken at their backyards (Jon n.p). Precisely, the current policy has also set in place some conditions for individuals to rear chicken within their backyards. For example, the residents who are interested in rearing chicken have to pay an initial fee of almost $75 and a two-year renewal fee of $50. Considering that most of the individuals who will be interested or adopt the decision of rearing chickens within their backyards belong to the lower social, economic status, charging this high amount of money might be a major blow to them. Besides, most individuals in this county are interested in rearing chicken even when the initial policy was implemented, but they could not manage to do so since they never had a two-acre minimum and the money to pay as initial and renewal.

On the other hand, this policy negatively affects individuals who may not be interested in rearing chicken, but are interested in rearing other birds such as ducks (Carolyn n.p). Precisely, this policy permits backyard rearing of chicken only, and this shows a high level of selectivity. The opponents to the backyard rearing of the chicken claim that the Cobb County Board of Commissioners could have allowed the residents to rear all kinds of birds in their backyards even if similar conditions would apply. According to Joseph Pond, ‘chickens are not for everyone, but everyone should have a right to own chicken.” (Jon n.p).

Joseph Bond is a political entrepreneur and was involved with local politics in one morning that he craved for fresh eggs for breakfast. He had used to go to the supermarkets to get eggs anytime he wanted to take them but this time; he opted to build a coop in his backyard in East Cobb County. He bought eggs and some chickens at Dahlonega, and from that time, his determination of pushing for the amended of the 2013 chicken policy that regulated the rearing of chicken in this county was implemented. He thought that since he only owned half an acre of land, the Cobb`s Department of zoning would prevent him to implement his investment since it required chicken owners to have a minimum of two acres (Jon n.p). Pond started to gather seek support from individuals who were interested in rearing chicken in the County in order to appear the zoning regulations.

Reflection

I strongly support the backyard chickens policy since it serves as the starting point for the expansion of freedom and choice for the Cobb County residents. Actually, the enactment of the backyard chicken reading code is a major milestone towards enhancing freedom and choice for the residents. Though the residents who might be interested in rearing other bids other than chicken are not currently happy with this policy, I think it is time for them to seek the expansion of this policy, in such a way that it includes the rearing of all birds as well.

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Works Cited

Carolyn Cunningham. Cobb Backyard Chicken Rules Relaxed. Posted on 24th March, 2016. Accessed from, http://www.ajc.com/news/local/cobb-backyard-chicken-rules-relaxed/fvkZRM1RiBLEhADJyFekRI/

Jon Shirek. Cobb: Campaigning to Legalize Backyard Chickens in Suburbia. Posted on 5th August, 2011. Accessed from, http://marietta.11alive.com/news/news/74899-cobb-campaigning-legalize-backyard-chickens-suburbia