North Richland Hills tells 'chicken lady' the birds have to go after neighbor complaint
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas (CBSNewsTexas.com) - Amy Trejo is known around town as the "chicken lady."
Trejo has raised chickens in a coop behind her home in North Richland Hills for the last 13 years after her doctor suggested it could help with her postpartum depression. She says the chickens have brought her a world of good.
"Joy lots and lots of joy," said Trejo. "It's been very rewarding."
Trejo says the chickens have even helped her son who has autism.
"They've been a part of our family they're not just our animals, they're pets," she said.
She also uses the eggs her chickens produce, to feed her family and shares her eggs with her neighbors and her church's food pantry.
But a recent complaint from a neighbor could put an end to her chicken raising.
Earlier this month animal control told her they got a noise and odor complaint about her chicken coop – warning she had 10 days to get rid of her chickens.
"It's heartbreaking it's super heartbreaking, we're devastated my son is very sad that his animals may soon be taken away," said Trejo.
The city of North Richland Hills only allows residents to keep livestock animals like chickens if their property is zoned for agriculture or for R-1-S which stands for "residential one-acre special." And the lot must be at least one acre in size.
According to the city, an animal services representative inspected Trejo's backyard Thursday and found that her property doesn't meet the zoning and size requirements.
A city representative says if a lot is an acre or more the chicken coop must be greater than 50 ft. from any residence.
"We haven't had any other issues he said he didn't smell, anything, it looked great."
Over two thousand people have signed a petition to push the city to allow residents to raise chickens on their property.
"All our other surrounding cities have been very lenient and have been accepting of the chickens," said Trejo.
Trejo says she wants the city to change its policy so she and other residents can continue raising their chickens.
"I am determined to fight this as long as I can and hopefully I can really make a change," said Trejo.
She asked the city for more time to keep her chickens as she fights for her cause. Trejo says the city gave her until July 28.
She and her supporters plan to speak out at an upcoming city council meeting on July 24 to push the city council to add the topic to an upcoming agenda.