BARRHEAD - County of Barrhead residents living on non-agricultural parcels of less than two acres who want to raise chickens are out of luck.
Coun. Walter Preugschas moved during council's Sept. 17 meeting, amend the newly minted Animal Control Bylaw passed in July to allow residents to keep chickens on properties in non-ag districts. Councillors Preugschas, Bill Lane, and Paul Properzi voted in favour, while reeve Doug Drozd and councillors Jared Stoik and Ron Klienfeldt were opposed. Absent was deputy reeve Marvin Schatz.
Preugschas made the motion following a discussion after a Moonlight Bay resident requested via a letter that councillors reconsider lifting the restriction.
Stoik later moved that council accept the letter as information, which was also defeated by the same 3-3 vote.
According to the bylaw, property owners in a non-agricultural district with a lot size of two acres or greater can keep up to 10 chickens. It should be noted that the bylaw does not impact residents of an agricultural district where the number of chickens a resident can have is not limited.
The resident stated they are a family of six, including four children under 12, and had recently moved to the county in 2021 to a 1.12-acre property.
"We purchased chickens earlier this year, thinking it would be a great opportunity for our children," they said. "With grocery prices increasing, we also wanted to have our own chickens to meet our families' egg demand."
They added that they had created a safe environment for the chickens far enough away from neighbouring property lines, saying it would also be difficult for them to get rid of the birds as the children have grown attached to them.
County peace officer Shae Guy said since they received the letter dated July 24, the municipality had received three more requests from Moonlight Bay residents asking permission to keep chickens.
He added he also received a complaint from a resident about their neighbour keeping chickens and violating the bylaw.
Guy said he then forwarded the requests to the Aug. 29 committee of the whole (COW).
He added that the committee's consensus and recommendation was to maintain the status quo but bring the topic to council for additional direction.
Drozd asked council if they were willing to amend the bylaw, considering they already had a "robust review and discussion" about it less than three weeks prior at COW.
"At the end of the day, [council] decided to stand firm," he said.
Preugschas said it was his understanding that the COW recommended that council amend the bylaw allowing chickens on smaller non-ag district lots.
"They would just need to have a permit," he said.
Councillors disagreed.
County manager Debbie Oyarzun said that although councillors at the COW had discussed the potential of introducing a permit system for chickens for non-agricultural properties, they dismissed it.
On the plus side, councillors said the system could allow residents on smaller lots to keep chickens where space is available (i.e. proper placement of a chicken coop that meets setbacks and doesn't interfere with the enjoyment of neighbouring properties), assuming all other conditions are met.
"A permit system would allow for oversight on smaller lots, but it would also increase the workload of enforcement services," she said, adding they would also have to amend the bylaw.
She added that councillors similarly discussed potentially allowing chickens in smaller non-ag lots, which councillors also dismissed, as council felt there would be more adjacent property complaints.
"I know we are talking about non-agricultural land. We are still an agricultural community," Preugschas interjected. "Not to allow chickens on a 0.9-acre parcel doesn't make sense."
Stoik said he was a big proponent of sticking to the bylaw, saying if people wanted to do agriculture, they should do it on agricultural land.
"[Properties] that are on small parcels, there are a lot of people retiring and people who want quiet and calm. I don't think chickens belong in those areas," he said.
Properzi said he agreed with Preugschas.
"From the residents I talk to, they rather have chickens next to them than dogs," he said. "But they should be permitted, so the county knows what is happening."
Drozd considered it ironic that the council has made decisions about hundreds of thousands of dollars with relatively little debate.
"Here we are talking about four or five chickens, and some of you are willing to go to the mat on it," he said, adding he took Stoik's view. "If your wish and dream is to have a country lifestyle, don't move to a lake lot or one in a [hamlet]."
Drozd added that having chickens in residential areas would also be "inviting skunks, weasels, foxes and other unwanted pests" to the area.
Lane argued with the rising price of groceries, it made sense for people to try to keep chickens and do other things to improve their "food security".
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
