# Help ! Legal knowledge needed **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 6, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-legal-knowledge-needed/595400 "2011-09-06T15:58:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![googlearlene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ab097/32.png) [@googlearlene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/googlearlene)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-legal-knowledge-needed/595400/1 "2011-09-06T15:58:31Z")
:dubious: I am such a bad girl…I decided to raise goats out in the country in Cohoctah Michigan. My nasty neighbors do not like them and got the township after me. After searching every inch of my life/property, they have concluded that my outdoor wood burner is not in compliance with their zoning. I apparently needed a permit and only people with 2 acres or more are allowed to have them; I am on 1 acre. This is my only heat source for my log cabin, I can no longer afford gas. Can they take away my only heat source? I have had it 3 years and no complaints until I got 2 goats, (I legally can have 6). How is it legal to discriminate against a 1 acre home to not have a wood burner? Again I am in Michigan Cohoctah township…home of the KKK and the 90 year old bastards (good o’l boys) are still running the township. :smack: urrrg ! :mad: someone help before I yank out my hair. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-legal-knowledge-needed/595400/2 "2011-09-06T16:00:52Z")
Since the OP is asking for legal advice, I’m moving this to the In My Humble Opinion forum from General Questions. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-legal-knowledge-needed/595400/3 "2011-09-06T16:22:05Z")
> [@googlearlene](#): > > :dubious: I am such a bad girl…I decided to raise goats out in the country in Cohoctah Michigan. My nasty neighbors do not like them and got the township after me. After searching every inch of my life/property, they have concluded that my outdoor wood burner is not in compliance with their zoning. I apparently needed a permit and only people with 2 acres or more are allowed to have them; I am on 1 acre. This is my only heat source for my log cabin, I can no longer afford gas. Can they take away my only heat source? I have had it 3 years and no complaints until I got 2 goats, (I legally can have 6). How is it legal to discriminate against a 1 acre home to not have a wood burner? Again I am in Michigan Cohoctah township…home of the KKK and the 90 year old bastards (good o’l boys) are still running the township. :smack: urrrg ! :mad: someone help before I yank out my hair. Perhaps you could request a zoning variance from the township’s [Board of Appeals](http://www.cohoctahtownship.org/departments/board_of_appeals/index.jsp)? ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-legal-knowledge-needed/595400/4 "2011-09-06T16:28:48Z")
> [@googlearlene](#): > > they have concluded that my outdoor wood burner is not in compliance with their zoning. I apparently needed a permit and only people with 2 acres or more are allowed to have them; I am on 1 acre. This is my only heat source for my log cabin, I can no longer afford gas. Can they take away my only heat source? How does an outdoor wood burner heat your cabin? I’m trying to imagine it and failing. But, I’d imagine that the appeals process is your best/only hope. Depending on how long you’ve had the burner, go in contrite for not getting the variance before you installed it (assuming you did in fact install it), and promise to be a good girl in the future. Oh, and I imagine the rationale behind the rule is that too many wood burners in too tight an area is a health/air hazard. Someone picked two acres as a way to keep the numbers and concentration down. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_N.Cheese)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-legal-knowledge-needed/595400/5 "2011-09-06T17:11:38Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > How does an outdoor wood burner heat your cabin? I’m trying to imagine it and failing. > > But, I’d imagine that the appeals process is your best/only hope. Depending on how long you’ve had the burner, go in contrite for not getting the variance before you installed it (assuming you did in fact install it), and promise to be a good girl in the future. > > Oh, and I imagine the rationale behind the rule is that too many wood burners in too tight an area is a health/air hazard. Someone picked two acres as a way to keep the numbers and concentration down. They usually circulate water between the burner and the house. Sorry I can’t address the OP.