Monday, May 6, 2013
Joseph Pond is charging District 3 Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell with an ethics violation.
Joseph Pond recently won a long-fought battle to keep backyard chickens at his Northeast Cobb home. But he's not done pointing a finger at Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell. In an article published Sunday in The Marietta Daily Journal, Pond has filed an ethics complaint against the District 3 Republican for her role in a previous ethics charge against her, which was dismissed. Pond's latest accusation, according to the story, is that Birrell filed false statements in that initial complaint, which he claims is a violation of state law. She disputes his contentions. “There’s nothing there of substance," she told the MDJ. Pond has blogged occasionally for Northeast Cobb Patch about his backyard chicken activism and complaints about what he …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell explained the ordinance change to the East Cobb Civic Association.
The day after the Cobb Board of Commissioners voted to adjust its code for chicken owners on small residential lots, opponents of the measure still had plenty of questions. At a Wednesday meeting of the East Cobb Civic Association, District 3 commissioner JoAnn Birrell outlined the new policy before an audience that wasn't thrilled to absorb the news. The ECCA opposed the changes, which would permit owners to apply for a variance that would allow them to keep one female chicken -- but no roosters -- per 5,000 square feet of property. Applicants also must provide written consent from two adjacent neighbors, either in support of or in opposition to their petition. Birrell and Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee voted against the change, but it …
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
A Marietta man has been attempting to amend the Cobb County Code to allow residents to keep chickens on small residential plots.
A Cobb County man who has been cited for keeping chickens in his backyard is continuing his fight against the 40-year-old zoning laws that are responsible for the loss of his pets. Joseph Pond of Marietta was cited on June 29, 2011 by Cobb County Code Enforcement for keeping chickens on his property. Pond attempted to receive a variance to allow him to keep his chickens but was denied. He took his case to state court but it was thrown out when some paperwork was improperly filed. After another notice of violation, Pond surrendered his chickens in Fall, 2011. Pond is now the head of the Backyard Chickens Alliance of Cobb County. The goal of the organization is to alter the text of Section 134-1 of the Code of Cobb County which reads: “…
Saturday, April 7, 2012
In this Letter to the Editor, Northeast Cobb resident Joseph Pond explores the county's zoning ordinance regarding backyard chickens.
- GOVERNMENT
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Saturday, April 7, 2012
In February, Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) introduced the Right to Grow Act to the Georgia Assembly. The bill, which would have prohibited cities and counties from banning gardens, chickens, and honeybees for personal consumption, sailed through the Agriculture Committee only to be killed by the Rules Committee after very aggressive lobbying by the cities and counties. They felt that it violated Home Rule granted to them by the Georgia Constitution and grumbled about potential lawsuits. They said that the cities and counties are better able to legislate their areas without state intervention. If that is the case, who looks out for the people when their local governments lose touch with what is important to them? Who is there when …
Friday, March 23, 2012
Georgia's cities and counties successfully lobbied to stop the Right to Grow Act, which would have protected backyard chickens.
- OPINION
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Friday, March 23, 2012
In February, Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) introduced the Right to Grow Act to the Georgia General Assembly. The bill, which would have prohibited cities and counties from banning gardens, chickens and honeybees for personal consumption, sailed through the House Agriculture Committee, only to be killed by the Rules Committee after very aggressive lobbying by the cities and counties. They felt that it violated home rule granted to them by the Georgia Constitution and grumbled about potential lawsuits. They said the cities and counties are better able to legislate their areas without state intervention. If that is the case, who looks out for the people when their local governments lose touch with what is important to them? Who is …
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Another family in unincorporated Cobb County faces the same fight to keep backyard chickens as Northeast Cobb's Joseph Pond, who lost his battle last fall and was forced to give away 10 egg-laying hens.
Leigh Forrester-Savage, who resides in Powder Springs, got hens after surviving breast cancer to lead a healthy, organic diet with fresh eggs. "We've been trying to get back to earth with our food and nutrition. Organic milk, fresh veggies only, and of course, our daily tasty gifts from our girls," Forrester-Savage told Northeast Cobb Patch in a statement. She's named the family's 15 pet chickens. Eleven of them are miniature breeds. She owns Silkie Bantam, Polish Top Hats and Jersey Giants. They come when you call them, like a dog, she said. Her family has raised backyard chickens for nearly a year. There have been no issues with neighbors. On Friday, her homeowner's association and Cobb County officials notified her that the chickens …
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Here's a sampling of Cobb-area headlines for Tuesday, Nov. 29.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Julia Harris
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Click the links below to read more about stories featured in today's PatchCast: Backyard Chicken Plea Fowled Up Theatre in the Square: Education, Plays, Tourism Video: Dickens of a Christmas, Y'all Kennesaw Patch Celebrates First Anniversary
Cobb County Commissioners voted against placing the backyard chicken ordinance change on the list of proposed zoning amendments to be voted on in January.
A dozen supporters of the right to keep chickens in backyards smaller than two acres joined Joseph Pond at last Tuesday's Board of Commissioners meeting to ask that the chicken issue be placed on the list of proposed zoning amendments to be voted on in January. Pond showed Commissioners a picture of a 1918 U.S. Department of Agriculture flyer that encouraged citizens to keep chickens as food supply during World War I. His arguments, and those of three supporters who spoke, did not sway Commissioners who voted against adding the issue to the January list of proposed zoning amendments. Despite repeated attempts, and a dismissed lawsuit against the county, Pond has not been able to get a county variance change so that his family can keep …
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Friday, Cobb County Code Enforcement told the Pond family that they have five business days to remove the hens off their property. The Ponds' will ask Commissioners for inclusion on the January docket at Tuesday's Board of Commissioners meeting.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Julia Harris
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
All is not well in the chicken coop. Despite repeated attempts, Joseph Pond has not been able to get a county variance change so that his family can keep their backyard chickens. Last week Judge Juanita Stedman dismissed Pond's civil suit against Cobb County government because he failed to serve the offices within five days, per the law. On Friday, Cobb County Code Enforcement visited Pond's home before he received the Court Order and told him that he has five business days to remove the hens. "I have found a beginner backyard chicken guy in East Point that is going to re-home most of my hens. While I had many generous offers to take in my girls, it makes me feel good to help out a fellow backyard chicken supporter. Since East Point is …
Monday, October 31, 2011
The Pond family requested a zoning variance to keep chickens in the back yard of their Northeast Cobb home. The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 5-0 against that variance on Sept. 14, but the Pond's fight continues.
- OPINION
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Monday, October 31, 2011
One of the hottest topics on Northeast Cobb Patch has been the story of the Pond family’s fight to keep chickens in the back yard. The Ponds requested a zoning variance from a 1972 ordinance banning livestock on lots smaller than 2 acres. The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 5-0 against that variance on Sept 14. The Ponds' responded by forming The Backyard Chickens Alliance of Cobb County with the goal to change the zoning ordinance that essentially outlaws backyard chickens in Cobb County. By Joseph Pond The Backyard Chickens Alliance of Cobb County believe that it is the right of every citizen to be able to own backyard chickens whether or not they choose to exercise that right. Here are a few of the facts presented at the last Cobb County …
Pat
1:55 pm on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
He's still above ground. He should feel lucky he's not living in Roswell. more ›