Proposed ordinance amendments could force 4-H/FFA/Homeschoolers living on small R-1 parcels from raising livestock and poultry projects
A 1.19 acre Residential (R1) zoned parcel in Wolftown has opened a can of worms for Madison County officials regarding the raising of livestock on acreage less than two acres. Some planning commissioners view the situation as neighbors quarreling while others see it as a property rightrs issue. The board of supervisors have until November 11, 2025 to decide if applicant Gerald D. Fuchs’ application for a special use permit will be approved or denied. PJR graphic by Chuck Jackson via MadisonGIS.
The Madison County Planning Commission tossed around ideas about how to deal with livestock on small residential lots. The current county code allows livestock to be kept on residential lots less than two acres with a special use permit.
Until this past summer, countless Madison County residents – including 4-H and FFA members – have kept backyard poultry flocks and small numbers of farm animals on residentially-zoned property without attracting much attention…