SUNDRE – After pecking away at a possible backyard hen bylaw over the past few years, town council is finally poised to approve a pilot program.
Council is expected to discuss an amended bylaw during the Monday, Dec. 18 meeting after much discussion during the Dec. 4 meeting.
“This is a fairly simple bylaw, and the intent is to pilot the program for one year, limit the number of applications that we would bring in to five,” Linda Nelson, chief administrative officer, said during a preamble to council at the regular Dec. 4 meeting.
“And then after a year of piloting the bylaw, we would bring it back forward to council to make a decision on whether or not you wanted to create a permanent bylaw in the community of Sundre to allow for backyard chickens to a certain number,” added Nelson, who then passed the floor over to Betty Fountain, senior development officer.
Among the first steps taken was to research what approach was taken by other municipalities that have similar a bylaw in place, from larger centres such as St. Albert, Strathmore and even Calgary as well as closer, more similar regional neighbours including Olds, Innisfail, and Didsbury, said Fountain.
“The majority of municipalities did it as a pilot program to actually find out what the interest was from their citizens to have backyard chickens,” she said. “And then on the other side of that, well what kind of issues came out; where maybe neighbours really didn’t want you to have chickens in your backyard.”
Among potential concerns to consider are issues such as avian flu and the possibility of drawing predators into a town that’s already on nature’s doorstep, she said.
The proposed pilot backyard hen bylaw was also presented to the community peace officer as well as the town’s bylaw and policy review committee, she said.
“It’s fairly basic in the sense that if a citizen of Sundre wants to have backyard chickens, they’re going to apply to be a part of the pilot program,” she said.
However, the number of people who can participate in the pilot program will be limited to just five residential properties to facilitate monitoring how the situation unfolds to track potential issues, she said.
Additionally, anyone who wants to participate in the pilot program will be required to have their neighbours sign a form of consent, she said, adding the municipality will also need an application to have a backyard hen licence with an annual fee.
Following the pilot’s one-year term, administration will compile all of the information gathered for further consideration with the bylaw review committee with a report ultimately coming back to council for a decision.
After that, should council adopt the bylaw, residents who want backyard hens will be able to get a licence – similar to domestic pets like cats and dogs – but will still need their neighbours’ consent, she said.
“There are some restrictions though,” she said, adding among them is to apply with the province to obtain a Premises Identification program (PID) number.
“Anybody having any kind of agriculture animal – other than a domestic animal, meaning a dog or cat – must have a PID number,” she said.
Further elaborating, she explained the PID is a system established to track who owns what; regardless of whether it’s a matter of a large-scale, commercial operation with a flock of 1,000 chickens or just 10 hens in the yard for personal consumption.
Additionally, while the owner of some backyard hens is of course allowed to consume the eggs produced on their own property, they cannot market or sell them, she said.
“And you must not slaughter a chicken on your property; you have to take it to a proper place to have it slaughtered if past its age or past its prime for laying,” she said. “And there will be absolutely no roosters.”
Seeking clarification, Coun. Todd Dalke asked if pilot program participants merely needed to inform their neighbours, or required adjacent’s property owner’s approval.
Fountain said all of the surrounding neighbours would have to consent by way of signing a form to acknowledge they approve.
“Every bylaw that we researched…had an adjacent landowner letter on the file for that property,” she said. “No different than if they’re doing a home-based business.”
Following the presentation, council gave the bylaw first reading and went around the table to discuss the matter.
“I’m glad it’s coming. I think five is too (few); it would be nice to see more. (But) in order to get this rolling, I do support it,” said Dalke.
“However, I definitely don’t support the requirement of adjacent landowners to give consent. I understand (chickens) can make noise and smell, but you don’t need permission for cats and dogs, which can do far worse, never mind damage to other things. So that part I don’t think is fair, but if it’s a requirement to get it moving, we have to do it.”
Coun. Chris Vardas spoke in favour of the one-year trial “even though I’m one of the guys that doesn’t want to have chickens beside me.”
Although Vardas said he was of the opinion that livestock animals such as chickens should be on acreages, he also recognized the growing importance of food security amid increasing prices at grocery stores and thus expressed a willingness to at least give the trial a shot.
Coun. Paul Isaac spoke neither for nor against the bylaw, but pointed out past attempts to introduce allowances for backyard chickens in Sundre ultimately did not pass.
“It’s been turned down every time,” said Isaac. “I don’t know how it is going to affect our community in a negative or a positive way. I guess we’ll find out, quite frankly.”
Coun. Owen Petersen, an original proponent of the latest push for the bylaw who had lobbied the municipality prior to even being elected to council, said he agreed with Dalke regarding a reluctance to require adjacent neighbours’ approvals.
“Even though other municipalities require adjacent landowners to give permission, I don’t think it’s appropriate to hand a veto card to your neighbours,” said Petersen.
“They would have a right to appeal. But to give them a straight veto card and to require them to write a letter of support for this, I am not in favour of,” he said, proposing an amendment to the bylaw that would require pilot program participants to only inform their neighbours as a courtesy without requiring their permission.
However, as that would ultimately change the bylaw as presented, Nelson suggested the bylaw should be changed and then brought back for second and third readings at the next regular meeting.
Council agreed and directed administration bring back the amended bylaw this coming Monday, Dec. 18.
