While it wasn’t unanimous, city council Tuesday voted to open the chicken coop door enough to allow a backyard pilot project.
Coun. Tara McCaulley tabled the motion directing staff to come up with the criteria for the raising of chickens in residential areas.
The vote was 7-2 in favour of the pilot project with councillors Gary Clarke and Jeff Kohler opposed.
Calling it a huge enforcement issue, Coun. Clarke stressed there is no cost savings when it comes to the eggs.
While in favour of the pilot project, Coun. Steve Wookey wondered who would be responsible for inspecting the backyard chicken coops.
Based on feedback he is receiving from ratepayers, Coun. Kohler argued the negatives far outweigh the positives.
Included in the report presented to council is a document from John and Kelly Nephin who live in eastern Ontario and which provided input to the Town of Carleton Place in support of an amendment to its animal control bylaw to allow a small number of hens to be kept in backyards.
It dealt with myths that chicken coops are smelly and ugly; hens are noisy and are a health risk; they are annoying to neighbours; they attract predators; and animal shelters will become crowded with abandoned chickens.
Included is a list of numerous Ontario municipalities that allow the raising of hens including Kitchener, Woodstock, Norfolk County and Windsor and it offers considerations for a pilot project to gather information on community impact including a time frame of three to four years.
City staff will report back to council with criteria to incorporate in a pilot project involving a small number of participants over a yet-to-be-determined time frame.
Written by Ian McCallum
