West Chester Township Trustee George Lang claims to be a strong supporter of property rights. He has publicly vowed to eliminate restrictive zoning regulations that prevent people from using their property as they wish.
The most oppressive of these regulations is one that prohibits any form of agriculture on residential lots with fewer than three acres. The township's definition of "agriculture" includes growing fruits or vegetables, ornamental shrubs, ponds, greenhouses, composting, and keeping backyard chickens.
Citizens who choose to assert their right to grow or raise their own food are subject to a fine of $500 PER DAY and threatened with arrest or seizure of their home if they refuse to comply.
This is an appalling infringement on the basic property rights of Americans. George Lang has spoken against it and promised to eliminate it but has failed to follow through on that promise.
SIGN THE PETITION to tell George Lang and the other trustees that words are not enough. Demand that they take immediate action to restore the most fundamental of rights -- that of a homeowner to use their own land to provide healthy food for their family.
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Whereas: The West Chester Township Zoning Resolution withholds from citizens the most fundamental of property rights -- the right to use one's own property to provide healthy food for one's family, and
Whereas: The West Chester Township Board of Trustees has the sole responsibility and authority to assure that the zoning resolution respects and protects the property rights of individuals, and
Whereas: Each member of the West Chester Township Board of Trustees is publicly elected to represent the citizens of West Chester and to use government powers to preserve the rights of the people rather than infringe upon them,
Therefore, we the citizens of West Chester Township hereby demand that the West Chester Board of Trustees immediately amend the West Chester Zoning Resolution to secure the rights of individuals to engage in small scale, personal use agriculture, including the right to grow food and keep animals for personal enjoyment and hobby purposes.