Local regulations that keep your neighbor from having a yard full of fowl are safe. Arizona Public Radio’s Howard Fischer explains today’s vote.
State senators voted two months ago to override most local zoning ordinances dealing with who can keep everything from chickens and turkeys to swans and geese. Proponents said it would encourage people to raise their own eggs. But when the issue came to the House floor, Rep. Karen Fann said cities enact zoning laws to keep communities and neighbors working together and not infringing on each other’s rights. She said once the state steps in, that paves the way to no local zoning laws at all.
“And where do we draw the line then? Today, it’s chickens, fowls, whatever. Tomorrow is somebody going to come in and say, ‘Well, my kid wants to raise a 4-H pig’ or something similar,” Fann said.
But, Rep. Adam Kwasman urged colleagues to support the measure, not because of what it does — but what it means to him personally.
“I don’t know if you know me. But not a lot of girls really want to go out with me, OK. Let’s be honest with ourselves. The young lady that I’m dating really wants this bill to pass. Guys, come on!” Kwasman said.
But his plea was not enough as the House voted 32 to 25 to kill the measure.
