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Citizens Won’t Get Ballot Vote On Century Barnyard Animal Ban
January 8, 2014
Residents of Century won’t get to vote on a recently enacted barnyard ban despite a grassroots push to place the issue on the ballot.
After three months of back and forth discussions, public meetings and protests, the Century Town Council gave final approval to the new animal control ordinance during a special meeting on December 23.
Before the vote, Century resident Maggie Waters presented the council with a self-styled ballot initiative signed by 86 citizens calling for the ordinance to be placed on a ballot for public vote. The 86 signatures were not documented as being from registered voters.
Unsure if the ballot initiative would require the council to place the issue on the ballot, the council approved the barnyard animal ban on a unanimous vote December 23. The new ordinance went into effect immediately.
Century Mayor Freddie McCall told the council Monday night that town attorney Matt Danneheisser had reviewed the issue and said that the town is not required to place any issue on the ballot due to citizens’ requests.
Since December 23, it has been illegal to keep a horse, mule, donkey, goat, sheep, or cow within the town limits except in areas that are zoned agricultural or rural residential. Hogs were already prohibited in all areas of the town. One horse or cow will be allowed for every two acres, one donkey or mule per acre and one goat or sheep per one-half acre. The animals and their pens must be 200 feet or greater from a dwelling or property line.
Anyone with the regulated animals in an area not zoned agricultural or rural residential within the town limits, must register their animals at the Century Town Hall within 60 days. The resident must apply for and be granted a variance from the town council within six months or get rid of their animals.
Pictured top: Three members of the Century Town Council were present Monday night, (L-R) Ann Brooks, Sandra McMurray Jackson and Jacke Johnston. Pictured inset: Resident Maggie Waters (right) presents a ballot initiative signed by 86 residents on December 23 to the council calling for a public vote. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
25 Responses to “Citizens Won’t Get Ballot Vote On Century Barnyard Animal Ban”
It is sad when the voters can’t vote on the issues that affect them. If you don’t like how the council makes decisions then vote them out and elect people who will listen to you and not dictate.
OMG who cares….Go buy a farm if you want livestock! I wouldn’t want to live in town near a cow pasture either…..But really is this what town meetings are about? Im sure there are alot more problems than some animals…Oh well that’s Century for you!!
Century has become too ridiculous. I’ll be moving my family else where, I don’t want my kids growing up in a town where it’s okay to see a drug deal while you pump gas at local gas stations, but yet it’s illegal to own farm animals.Really? Ha. Way to go Century, I Hope you get the kind of town you’re asking for. You’re not really setting it up for future generations to be successful. Good luck with that!
My family is from Century. Nothing is like it used to be. Like most good things, they come and go – will remain this way just as you have said. Shame too!
How am I supposed to mill sugar cane in my backyard if they won’t let me have a mule?
Century is a small country town, not a city, and that is precisely why most people who live here, choose to. Not very many years ago, this was a farming town and there’s nothing wrong with being a small town with barnyard animals. Instead of trying to turn Century into something that it’s not, the Mayor and council should be more interested in finding a way to stop Century from losing all the basic services that other surrounding small towns still have. Century has lost everything, we have to go outside of town to pay our taxes, get a driver license, go to school, go to a hospital, and etc. These are all things that Century had at one time, but now we have no one who’s willing to fight for Century. These are the type of things that the town council should be interesed in. Come up with a strategy on how to keep our town alive. Come up with a way to bring jobs to Century. Do something that matters. I won’t be surprised if the next thing to be taken away is our Post Office, because it was mentioned months ago and it WILL HAPPEN, because I can most certainly garauntee you that the council hasn’t given it a second thought. It’s so sad that they’re more concerned with what’s going on behind someone’s privacy fence or who has a barnyard animal.
From the number of comments you see on here my guess would be that if you have to vote them out over this you are way short on votes. pretty sure more than 40 people vote when elections are held.
I grew up in the INC. Village of Lynbrook in New York. all barn yard animals were grandfathered in. My great-Aunt still has chickens in her backyard and Lynbrook is only 15 minutes outside of New York City. Those animals got to remain as long as her family kept just one chicken in the yard they could add more at anytime.
So don’t tell me that big cities don’t have barnyard animals.
Maybe the Town Council in Century needs to actually listen to what the people of Century want! And if they don’t want to listen, they need to go. Just like what is going to happen to Florida’s current Govenor and our country’s current President!
I’m curious, How many Barnyard animals are in yards in Century? Who does this affect? Will the council allow variances for existing animals and allow the law to come into affect over a period of time?
I think the City Council is doing a great job. On another note, I do think it is good for citizens to know their rights and not expect the council members to teach them. They are busy and do want to move on to other issues as they have done and will continue to do. This could be an opportunity to educate ourselves about our government (representative vs direct democracy) and realize that they do have the best interests of the town as a whole in mind. The framers of the constitution of the United States of America decided on representative government because it works best to maintain the republic and prevent anarchy and chaos. Read about the Occupy Movement,
This is the City Council and the great Mayors way of not listening to the People!!! Maybe everybody in town needs a goat and then use the goats to clean up the town. Starting with town council homes first. Just sayin
the town council kows what is best for the people of century, after all aren’t they the smart politicians. what is next, banning certain color houses or allowing you to only purchase ans consume omly certain types of food. kick the bums out in the next election. i believe they think they are better than anyone else and look down on farmers and rural dwellers.
As far as myself and family personally, we are moving to the Pensacola area and taking my business with me . The Century Town Council I feel has had enough chance to be civil and not be a dictatorship. There will be a legal recourse on the nasty time consummation of a barn yard animal that means nothing. It crime, drugs, lack of enforcement , town bickering and backwards thinking is what is demeaning our town here and making its citizens a laughing stock to the surrounding areas.
Lots of good people in Century and I will miss them.
The town ” leaders” if you will.
Shame on you.
Well I know this is Century. But I don’t think you will see large animals kept at residents in Pensacola. If you don’t want to live in a incorporated city–then Move!
Many good comments here on this issue.
Sounds like the Century Town Council does not need, heed, the voices of the citizens.
Many important issues — drugs, jobs — are pushed aside to make way for this animal control rule.
Some wonder what is the REAL thing behind this move?
Is there a pending big change coming for Century that cannot go forward without the critter control act?
It will be interesting to see what is next from the Town Council.
Politics makes big changes in some people we elect.
The city acted correctly. If it went to a vote, which it shouldn’t, the city would win out. A majority of residents, i believe, support the town.
So what was the catalyst for this ban?
It certainly was not dreamed up on night by a council member.
Either a council member has a problem with their neighbors animals or a citizen of Century was able to bend their ear enough to enact this ordinance.
As far as the ballot initiative goes, I bet there is a “proper way” to get the matter on a ballot for a vote of the citizens.
The council and it’s lawyer avoided to tell the citizens that bit of info on purpose.
They’re playing like the big boys in DC…….what the PEOPLE want matters not to them. They know what’s best for you. You are incapable of making intelligent decisions. After all, you are the ones that put them in office.
Remove the town council. They were elected, they can be unelected!
acre is 208.7 square , how can you put a donkey or mule on an acre and stay 200 ft. from property line? I don’t think that will work. if you put donkey or mule in center of acre it will be 104.35 ft. to property line.
Century’s council apparently wants to be as acidine as towns like Atmore who selectively targets citizens to harass with their odd ball assortment of rules and regulations .
Unlike Atmore, people seem to be fired up over this issue in Century and therefore they should revolt at the polls. I have never in my life read such pompous and arrogant comments as what I have read here coming from some of those council members.
I hope the residents of Century sponsor more level headed candidates in the next election. I, for one, plan to support their opposition.
Of course they denied the ballot. Why would they want all the people that put them in office to have a say in the laws they want enforced. When we start having a government that feels like they do not need to hear the will of the people we are in trouble……and we are indeed in trouble.
It seems to me that Century has bigger problems than a few animals in town. Like the gas leak that has been going on for who knows how long, drugs deal everywhere, the lack of jobs, ect.. The mayor and city council has/are avioding the big problems and worring about a few animals that causes less trouble than the residents of this town.
When elected officials refuse the will of the people they cease to represent them. The residents of Century should band together for a class action lawsuit. Start picketing outside city hall. We the people is how it is supposed to be so Century it is time to put up or shut up.
I respect the law but my grandfather has lived here for about 50-60 years I’ve been here for 24 and I think our fences are gonna stay where they are unless town of century will pay for new fence cause it isn’t cheap to just move a fence?