GOATS ARE COMING TO
CHARLOTTESVILLE!

Goats are legal in Charlottesville now! Whether you are
definitely planning on getting miniature goats now or you are
just curious about what’s involved in urban goat-keeping, this
workshop is for you! Join us for an afternoon immersed in the
world of miniature goat-keeping at Dragon Hill Farm in
Scottsville. Wear farm-friendly clothes and bring a folding
chair. No pets, please.

What: Urban Goat-Keeping Workshop
When: Saturday, October 9, 2010 2-4:30 pm
Why: To learn all the basics, A-Z of urban goat-keeping
Where: 2531 Ruritan Lake Road, Scottsville 24590
Cost: $25/person

Expert panel, full range of topics covered specifically geared
towards miniature goats in the urban setting, lots of hands-on
techniques, lots of hand-outs and samples of miniature goat
cheese! Time for all your questions. Wonderful door prizes!

For more information: Meghan Keith-Hynes 434-466-1781
meghankh@gmail.com

!FIRST CHARLOTTESVILLE URBAN

GOAT-KEEPING WORKSHOP!

Whether you are definitely planning on getting miniature goats now or you are just curious about what’s involved in urban goat-keeping, this workshop is for you! Join your fellow goat pioneers for an afternoon immersed in the world of miniature goat-keeping at Dragon Hill Farm in Scottsville. Rain or shine. Wear farm-friendly clothes and bring a folding chair.

What: Urban Goat-Keeping Workshop

When: Saturday, October 9, 2010 2-4:30 pm

Why: To learn all the basics, A-Z of urban goat-keeping

Where: Dragon Hill Farm, Scottsville

How: To register or for more information contact Meghan Keith-Hynes at 434-293-2145 or meghankh@gmail.com

$20/person with pre-registration, $25/person at the farm

Expert panel, full range of topics covered specifically geared towards miniature goats in the urban setting, lots of hand-outs and samples of miniature goat cheese! Time for all your questions. Door prizes!

SUCCESS TONIGHT!

Charlottesville City Council voted unanimously to allow the keeping of up to 3 miniature goats per household here in the city.

It's now in our hands to make this program a resounding success and make sure our little beasts are good neighbors.

An Urban Goat-Keeping Seminar is in the works...will post details as we have them.

Successful First Reading of the Proposed Goat Ordinance at City Council on August 16, 2010!!!

The proposed goat ordinance was well-received and will move on to "second reading" and VOTE on September 7, 2010. Charlottesville Goat Justice League members (and their adorable kids) spoke eloquently and effectively about how this ordinance will affect them personally.

The goats are coming, the goats are coming!!!! The ordinance allowing miniature goats to live lawfully in Charlottesville has been reviewed by the City Attorney and is now on the agenda for the August 16, 2010 meeting of Charlottesville City Council!!!! This is your opportunity to come express your feelings about the Charlottesville goat ordinance and watch history get made!!!!

Greetings Goat Pioneers!

The presentation at Council on Monday night was a great success and the proposed ordinance change was favorably received. The Charlottesville Goat Justice League was able to hand the mayor a petition with 436 signatures asking for mini-goats here in town. The next step is to draw up the exact wording of the ordinance, run it by City Attorney and then have a public hearing on it. Will keep you posted as these steps are taken...

http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/98632019.html

check it out!

Hello Goat Pioneers!!! We have over 400 signatures on our petition now and we are getting ready to present our case to City Council on July 19 at 7 pm. Please get your completed petitions to Meghan this week and mark your calenders!!!

Current tally stands at 381 signatures! Keep up the good work!!!

COME TO CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING JULY 19, 2010 AT 7pm
to show your support for the legalization of mini-goats in the City of Charlottesville! We have over 300 signatures on our petition, more every day, and a wonderful letter from the Seattle City Council President attesting to the positive effects of pro-goat ordinances. We plan to present our case to Charlottesville City Council on July 19, 2010 at 7pm. Please come and bring some friends! :)See you there!

PETITION DRIVE PROGRESSING WELL!!!!!

We currently have 241 signatures on our petition. We have decided to continue gathering signatures until we have 1,000 and plan our presentation to City Council at that time. Keep up the good work, Goat Pioneers! Keep sending in those completed petitions!

Charlottesville Goat Justice League Position Statement: "We would like to ask Charlottesville City Council to amend City Code to allow residents to keep up to 3 pet goats at their residence. The Code would stipulate that these goats must be miniature (under 100 lbs), any males neutered, all dehorned and nursing offspring allowed until the age of 12 weeks. We feel that city residents should be able to provide milk for their own use from their own land. Goats eat invasive plant species, require very little land, and provide highly nutritious milk. A number of progressive cities in the U.S. have recently enacted such code, including St. Paul, Austin, Berkley, Oakland, Portland, and Seattle. We propose basing our code on that of Seattle.

The current Charlottesville ordinance pertaining to goats is Section 4-9: "No goats shall be kept within the city". In July, 1975, a person wrote to City Council about a goat in the neighborhood and asked for a committee to prohibit farm animals from the city. There are no specifics in the record about the alleged crimes of this purported goat. The article was recodified in 1976 at which time the section prohibiting goats was added. There have been no changes or additions pertaining to goats in city code since 1976. City Code pertaining to goats is antique and needs to be updated to reflect modern sensibilities about sustainability.

In support of Council's vision of Charlottesville as a green city, we feel this ordinance change is a simple step we could take in our march towards sustainability."

The Charlottesville Goat Justice League now has 30 members!

CONGRATULATIONS CHARLOTTESVILLE GOAT LOVERS!!! We gathered 217 signatures Saturday on our petition to City Council to amend City Code to allow people to keep miniature goats on their city property! We will continue collecting signatures for the next two weeks and then go before Council with our request.

Come sign a petition asking Charlottesville City Council to change the city ordinance to allow households to keep up to three miniature goats. We will be gathering signatures at Dots Day at the City Market this Saturday, June 5, 2010! Drop by our table...there will be fun activities for the kids (hehe)....we'll be there 8-12.

This is one of the best sources of information for urban goat farming!
http://www.goatjusticeleague.org/Site/Introduction.html

This is one of my favorite urban dairy goat stories!
http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/where-its-legal-to-farm-goats-in-city/

If Seattle can do it, Charlottesville can!!!

http://www.goatjusticeleague.org/Site/Introduction.html

Welcome To The Charlottesville Chapter of the Goat Justice League!

We are working to bring urban goats to Charlottesville!