Arlin George Hatfield, III v. Madison County Board of Supervisors

MAXWELL, JUSTICE, FOR THE COURT:

¶ 1. “ ‘[I]n construing a zioning ordinance, unless manifestly unreasonable, great weight should be given to the construction placed upon the words by the local authorities.’ ”1 And if the ordinance’s application is “fairly debatable,” the decision of the Board of Supervisors must be affirmed.2 Here, the Madison County Board of - Supervisors (the; Board) found Arlin George - Hatfield, III—who raised “chickens, guineafowl, and ducks”—violated a Madison County Zoning Ordinance (the Ordinance) section, which did not expressly permit raising and keeping fowl in…