Egg-static for urban chicks

Lake Country council has decided to be less restrictive when it comes to proposed bylaw changes to allow the keeping of chickens in some urban areas.

Council Tuesday gave first and second reading to bylaw changes but agreed the proposals from staff were too restrictive.

The recommendation before council was to allow the keeping of up to four hens on properties with a minimum lot size of 1,000 square metres within the rural residential (RR3) and small scale multiple housing (RU1) zones.

However, council suggested reducing the lot size to 500 square metres while also increasing the number of chickens allowed to five.

But, no roosters.

Presently, it is not legal for residents in Lake Country to keep urban chickens, however in 2019, council placed a moratorium on enforcement.

The bylaw given first two readings by council also states chickens must be kept in proper pens with a solid or wire roof, that they be for personal use only and that the poultry not be slaughtered on residential property.

Allowing urban chickens on parcels as small as 500 square metres means 3,158 properties would be eligible.

The bylaw will go to a public hearing before council debates final adoption.