This is on the deed restrictions for a 12-acre lot. How would you interpret it?

"No offensive smelling animals, livestock or poultry of any kind shall be raised, bred, boarded or kept on any lot. Dogs, cats and other household pets may be kept, provided that they are not kept, boarded or maintained for any commercial purpose."

Do you think it means no livestock whatsoever? Or livestock is ok as long as it's not "offensive smelling"?

Aren't ALL livestock inherently stinky??

I would say no animals except the kind that most people would be willing to let live in their house.

It means NO farm animals, and No Dog or cat breeders.. only domestic animals, dogs ,cats, birds. for personal care. The one I have reads like that.

Sounds like a typical residential lot restriction. Pot bellied pigs or even snakes are okay as long as they are for 'personal use'...no commercial type of animal husbandry...no cows, pigs, horses....etc...

Unless you have a homeowners association to back up the restrictions, you basically can do whatever you want. Now, someone could probably sue you for a violation of the restriction... but a lawyer could probably answer that.

I take it to mean, no hog farms.

The developer sets the restrictions up for the housing development.
The developer can restrict alot of things. Such as weed controll, commercal signs, and what kind of animals can be kept on the house lots. You don`t need an H.O.A. to have these inplace.
Every development in this county has a restriction of some kind set in with the buying of a house lot or a house already built.

The covenants (deed restrictions) specify the type of fence that is to be used in my development. It clearly states only split rail fences. However people have put up all types of fences including picket, privacy, etc. There is no HOA to enforce what they put up. Unless I (or someone else) would file suit against one of my neighbors, they are not being prevented from putting up whatever they want. And since there is no permitting process for fences in the county it's become a fence anarchy.

Now, when they go to re-sell their property, I'm not sure what would happen. As the buyers would be stuck with whatever fence the owner has put up in clear violation of the deed restriction.

I see your point. Assume the strictest interpretation unless you get a clairification in writing. That is the safest bet.