The day many in Chatham-Kent have been waiting for is almost here.
On Monday night, Council will be asked to approve a two-year pilot project for backyard chickens in rural residential and village residential zones. The proposed amending Backyard Chickens Bylaw does not affect agricultural zoned properties where chickens are already allowed. Urban centres such as Chatham and Wallaceburg still won't be allowed backyard chickens, under the proposed bylaw.
Council will also be asked to approve the revised User Fee Bylaw that adds initial and renewal hen permit fees of $400 and $125 respectively to fully recover the cost of the program and not be a burden on taxpayers.
Set fines for violations will also need to be approved.
A report authored by Chatham-Kent Manager of Licensing Services Nancy Havens stated chickens must stay on the owner’s property; if the property does not have a fence, chickens must be kept in a chicken coop; the coop must have a minimum setback from property lines or from neighbouring homes; no roosters; and feed must be stored in a rodent proof container.
Those who want backyard chickens must apply and be approved before setting up their coop.
"Before they are able to have chickens, a bylaw officer goes to inspect the yard and coop. If it passes inspection, they are good to get the chickens. After that, the only time we would visit the property again is if there is a bylaw complaint about the property," wrote Havens.
The proposed bylaw allows a limit of 10 hens per property; hens are only kept for personal consumption or use of eggs, manure and meat; residents must register prior to purchasing hens and meet bylaw requirements; slaughtering/butchering on the premises is prohibited; and the owner must take action to reduce the attraction of predators, rodents and the potential infestation of insects and parasites.
Administration will not issue the hen permit without the hen owner indicating and signing that they have reviewed educational material from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Research, according to Havens.
Havens also noted many people are completely opposed to the bylaw because it's their right to do what they wish on their property, citing government overreach, and they should be free to grow and mind their own food sources.
The municipality said a building permit will not be required for any chicken coop 10 square metres or less. However, coops greater than 10 square metres would require a building permit.