Bunny/Bird Business Nixed By Farmington PZC

FARMINGTON, CT — Local land-use officials have shot down an applicant's request to operate a home business raising and selling rabbits/poultry in a residential area.

A motion to approve local resident Michael Lavoie's special permit application to operate a home business to breed and sell rabbits/poultry was denied by the Farmington Plan & Zoning Commission Feb. 12 with 0 "yes" votes and 6 "no" votes.

Two other motions, however, were approved by the PZC allowing him to raise no more than 20 rabbits on the property at 12 Winthrop Drive, Farmington, as well as raising no more than 20 poultry birds on the site.

Essentially, the PZC is allowing him to keep the birds and bunnies on his site, but he is not allowed to operate a home business at that location.

A public hearing on the project was closed last month, with little public comments in person, though some concerns about animals in a residential zone were made by a few in written form.

The PZC's permission to raise rabbits and birds comes with some conditions, including that male poultry birds are not allowed and proper food/waste management practices be utilized, among other conditions.

Originally, Lavoie's application was to raise 30 rabbits, 20 chickens, and six ducks there.

Complicating the situation for the PZC was the fact Lavoie already had the animals on his property and was seeking permission after he had possession of them.

Ultimately, the PZC agreed to limit his ability to raise the animals and did not allow for him to have a home business operation.

Since his current stock exceeds what was approved by the PZC, the commission did attach time limits for Lavoie to pare down his stock to comply.

As for operating an animal business at the home location, the PZC wasn't comfortable with that as a permanent use.

"I want to acknowledge that this was probably more complicated than we originally thought," Farmington PZC Chairman Scott Halstead said.

For the minutes of the Feb. 12 Farmington Plan & Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.

From Jan. 24: 'Farmington PZC OK's Two Home Poultry Operations, Unsure Of Another'