Farewell My Subaru
No, we are not getting rid of our Subaru, at least not yet. But we did just finish reading the new book Farewell My Subaru by Doug Fine. Fine tells his tale of his 2006 move to a 41 acre ranch in New Mexico in an attempt to reduce his carbon footprint and his addiction to oil. Along the way he installs solar panels and a solar hot water heater, parks his Subaru and replaces it with a diesel truck converted to run on veggie oil, and learns the challenges of raising goats, chickens, and vegetables in the harsh New Mexican environment.
Though a fun and inspiring read, Fine's off-the-grid lifestyle did not have as much relevancy for us as the two other books I have mentioned in this blog, Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma.
The bottom line is, rural New Mexico is a long way from suburban Chico. As such, one must recognize that the methods one uses to reduce their ecological impact will no doubt vary from location to location, with some strategies being more appropriate than others.
For example, while I agree that a veggie-powered pickup truck might indeed be the most sustainable form of transportation for someone who chooses to live in a rural setting, here at the edge of the Sacramento Valley I feel that biking, carpooling, and use of public transportation (and lobbying for improved public transportation) are the best bets.
It is also unlikely that it will ever make sense for us to install solar panels with the intent of living off the grid.
We are, however, hoping to get chickens in the next year or so.
Comments
Jeremy,
While I can understand your desire to have chickens on your property as part of your sustainable/local food efforts, please know that animal keeping within the City limits may require issuance of a use permit, or be prohibited altogether, depending on the zoning district your property is located in. There are also standards contained in Chico Municipal Code section 19.76.040 which establish how many fowl you can have for a given size of property, and require certain setbacks from habitable structures. Roosters are prohibited in most locations.
Please contact me if you need any additional information - I'd be happy to review the regs with you.
Posted by: Greg Redeker | July 9, 2008 01:31 PM
Greg,
Thanks for the heads up. As I read it, according to the Chico Municipal Code section 19.76.040, a person living within the Chico city limits must allow 250 square feet of outdoor roaming space (areas of the property that are not within a footprint of a structure used for human habitation) for each chicken. Also, "calculation of the minimum site area required for animals shall not include any areas within the footprint of a structure used for human habitation, or any areas subject to the setbacks from occupied dwellings which are required by Section 19.76.040B.2."
Posted by: jeremy miller | July 9, 2008 10:35 PM
Jeremy,
It's more than that. Animal keeping according to those standards is only allowed by right in the RS zoning district, requires a use permit in the R1 district, and isn't allowed at all in the R2 or R3 districts.
Greg
Response:
Greg,
Thank you again for the clarification. While it is pretty easy to determine our zoning district, where does one find access to information about what the restrictions are for each zone as it relates to pets/livestock? I did not see this in the Municipal Code. Also, where does one go to obtain a use permit, and how much does this cost?
Jeremy
Posted by: Greg Redeker | July 10, 2008 08:29 AM
Jeremy,
All the allowed uses for residential zones are listed in CMC Chapter 19.42. The use permit application form and the fee schedule can be found here: http://www.ci.chico.ca.us/Planning_Services/Fees_and_Forms.asp
Greg
Posted by: Greg Redeker | July 10, 2008 09:28 AM