HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-16-049 - Recommendations Pertaining to the Keeping of Chickens
Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
REPORT TO:
DATE OF MEETING: November 7, 2016
Gloria MacNeil, Director of By-law Enforcement
SUBMITTED BY:
(519-741-2200, ext. 7952)
Gloria MacNeil, Director of By-law Enforcement
PREPARED BY:
(519-741-2200, ext. 7952)
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: October 20, 2016
16-049
REPORT NO.: CSD-
RECOMMENDATIONS PERTAINING TO THE KEEPING OF
SUBJECT:
CHICKENS
___________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
That a by-law be enacted to amend Chapter 408 (Animals) of the City of
Kitchener’s Municipal Code to allow for the keeping or harbouring of fowl in non-
agricultural areas of the City.
BACKGROUND:
On August 10, 2015 Council passed a resolution directing By-law Enforcement staff to
review the regulations pertaining to the keeping or harbouring of fowl in non-agricultural
areas of the City as outlined in Community Services Department report CSD-15-071.
REPORT:
In the past 12 months staff have been researching and engaging with the public, as well
as other municipalities who currently permit backyard chickens, to determine whether
backyard chickens are appropriate for residential properties in the City of Kitchener.
As a result of the online survey, several public consultation meetings, and input
received from residents via email and telephone, staff have taken all of the public
feedback provided and made recommendations we believe are a compromise for both
the supporters and non-supporters of backyard chickens. Staff is recommending that
Council allow residents to keep backyard chickens provided they can meet and comply
with the following recommendations/regulations.
Maximum of 4 chickens
No Roosters
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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Sales of eggs, manure and other products associated with the keeping of
chickens are not allowed
Home slaughter of chickens is not allowed
An application must be submitted to the City prior to obtaining chickens– this will
provide By-law with a registry of how many properties have chickens and where
they are located. A registry will allow chickens to be returned home should they
get out, or if charges are required.
A one-time fee of $50 to cover the cost of processing the application and the
Officer’s time inspecting the property to ensure compliance
Inspection of the property must occur prior to approval for chickens to ensure
setbacks and proper construction of coop
Chickens must be kept in an enclosed run when not in their coop
Chickens must be contained on owners property at all times
Chickens must be banded with owner contact information
Owner of chickens must reside on the property where they are kept
Rental properties – written permission from the owner must be obtained
All other by-laws will still apply, for example, noise, animal regulations, lot
maintenance, property standards.
Setback Regulations:
1.2m from rear lot line
3m from a side lot line
3m from a rear lot line abutting a side yard
Chicken coops are not permitted in a front yard
Existing sheds/garages can be used for the hen house, runs and exterior
portions of the coop must meet the setback regulations
Multi-residential properties such as apartments are not permitted to have
chickens
Coop Regulations and Sanitation:
Coop must provide protection from weather and be adequately ventilated
The floor must be constructed of a material that is resistant to moisture, mold,
retain heat in the cold weather and exclude rodents and predators
The floors must be lined with shavings, straw or other appropriate materials to
absorb manure and facilitate cleaning
Chicken boxes and a perch must be provided to accommodate all hens
Dust bath area must be provided (helps control mites)
The coop must be maintained in a clean condition and shall be kept free of
odours
The coop must be deep cleaned 2- 3 times a year which includes disinfecting of
troughs, perches and nests
Feeders and water containers must be provided, cleaned regularly and
disinfected
Feed must be stored in rodent proof containers and secured at all times to
prevent rodents and other animals from accessing it
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Manure must be cleaned out daily and stored in a secured container or
composter in accordance with compost regulations
Deceased chickens must be disposed of at a livestock disposal facility or through
the services of a veterinarian, chicken exchange program, or through a facility as
approved by the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs.
Other Considerations/Suggestions:
A guide on basic chicken care will be provided
Information on Veterinarians in the area that care for chickens
Educational meetings for people who are interested in having chickens
Companies that provide rentals, supplies, chicken exchange
As part of the resolution on August 10, 2015, Council had requested information
outlining how the City had previously dealt with the keeping of pigeons. Previous to
2004 residents were permitted to keep pigeons if they obtained an exemption from
Council and met the following criteria:
Had a maximum of 75 pigeons
Were a bona fide member of an organized pigeon club or association
All pigeons had to be banded with a leg band issued by said organization and
pigeons could be kept for sporting purposes
All regulations and sanitary conditions as outlined in the by-law were followed
In 2004, Council passed a resolution to no longer permit the keeping of pigeons in a
residential area. The only pigeons currently permitted are those that had been
previously approved and grandfathered.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The review and recommendations align with Efficient and Effective City Services of the
2015-2018 Strategic Plan.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Staff are recommending an application/registration fee of $50 to cover the cost of
processing the application and the Officer’s inspection time. Staff anticipate that there
will be a limited uptake from residents on the keeping of chickens and anticipate this
can be done within existing staffing and funding.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Citizens were informed of the chicken by-law consultations in a variety of
INFORM –
ways, primarily through social media (Facebook and Twitter), email and the city’s
website. The local media also published stories and interviews about the chicken by-law
consultations on 15 occasions and includes 570 News, CBC, CTV, The Record, The
Post and Hamilton Spectator. The staff team also reached out to anyone that provided
feedback on this topic via the methods listed below to advise them of all public meetings
and steps in the process. Staff have also advised anyone who has attended a meeting
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or contacted us via email or phone, of the report going to Committee on Nov 7 and
their ability to register as a delegate.
Staff have reached out to citizens in a number of ways to consult with them
CONSULT –
and obtain feedback related to the review of backyard chickens. Methods of
engagement include:
Engage Kitchener online survey: The chicken by-law online survey was the most
popular topic posted on Engage Kitchener, resulting in over 1800 responses
received over an 8 week period. Based on the survey analytics, responses were
received across all 10 wards within the City of Kitchener. A report summarizing
the result of that survey is attached to this report as Appendix A.
The first public meeting was held on June 23, 2016 in the Conestoga Room at
City Hall with 40 people in attendance. The first portion of the meeting included a
presentation of the online survey results, as well as presenting four possible
options that staff wanted the public to consider. The second portion of the
meeting was a workshop style, where participants were divided into groups
(supporters and non-supporters) and had to come up with positive and negative
for each of the options provided. This was a collaborative exercise that
encouraged residents with opposing views to discuss and identify concerns and
potential solutions.
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A second public meeting was held on September 27 in the evening at Country
Hills Community Center as it was one of the areas with a lower response rate
from the survey. 16 residents attended the meeting. The meeting was a review
of the online survey, the results of what we heard from the group work at the first
public meeting and the recommendations that we are planning on proposing to
Council as a result of what we heard. Residents were able to review the
recommendations and provide input on each.
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A third public meeting took place on October 3 at the Kitchener Memorial
Auditorium during the day with 11 people in attendance. This was chosen as a
central location with access from several different wards. The approach was the
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exact same as the meeting held on Sept 27, and the daytime session allowed
residents to attend who may not have been able to attend an evening session.
We have also considered any emails or phone calls that have been placed to our
office and taken those into consideration for this review.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Michael May, Deputy CAO, Community Services Department
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