Re: backyard chickens?

[Don McGorman]

Check with city hall. I looked into this several years ago and there were
municipal bylaws restricting farm animals (including chickens) in most of
the built-up parts of the Sault.

I recall something on the news earlier this year about Vancouver changing
it's bylaws to allow chicken coops in backyards.
(http://www.chickensinvancouver.com/)

Maybe we could start a campaign to do this in SSM?



On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 03:06:37 PM -0400, lynned <johnsto...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> is there anybody keeping a small flock of laying hens within city
> limits? I am sort of thinking I might be able to easily keep 4 hens
> in my yard and was hoping to get some advice.
>
> From what I've learned online and via a humane society rep there are
> no regulations against this here, the only way the HS would step in is
> if the birds were "running at large".
>
>
> >

[lynned]

I found this link to the by-law:

http://www.city.sault-ste-marie.on.ca/contentadmin/UserFiles/File/By-Laws/81-180.pdf

If the city has this posted online, I'm assuming it is the current law
despite the close to 30 year age of it???

You will notice the exceptions in the restrictions for domesticated
animals ... this makes me think a few laying hens would be just fine.
I know in years past, and maybe still currently(??), many of the
Italian families would keep a lamb or a goat or rabbits in their yards
and garages for food purposes. Maybe that is the reason for the
exceptions in the by-law?

I would be afraid to contact city hall directly in case they look into
the situation and create a new by-law prohibiting the keeping of
hens. Most US cities have now legalized backyard hens, Canada seems
to be a little bit behind the 8ball on this one but I do know
Vancouver does allow them. Toronto does not but I understand many
people are flying under the radar there. Sudbury and Ottawa residents
are currently petitioning their cities to allow backyard laying hens.
Here it seems to be a non-issue :S

An interesting link: http://www.torontochickens.com/Toronto_Chickens/Where_are_chickens_legal.html

Thoughts?

On Sep 25, 4:57 pm, Don McGorman <mcgo...@cleannorth.org> wrote:
> Check with city hall.  I looked into this several years ago and there were
> municipal bylaws restricting farm animals (including chickens) in most of
> the built-up parts of the Sault.
>
> I recall something on the news earlier this year about Vancouver changing
> it's bylaws to allow chicken coops in backyards.
> (http://www.chickensinvancouver.com/)
>
> Maybe we could start a campaign to do this in SSM?
>

> On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 03:06:37 PM -0400, lynned <johnston.deb...@gmail.com>

[Don McGorman]

I checked with the city (Don Maki, Chief Building Official, City of Sault
Ste Marie, Ontario) and he told me that the restriction on agricultural use
(including raising poultry for eggs) is contained in the city's zoning
bylaw: http://www.city.sault-ste-
marie.on.ca/contentadmin/UserFiles/File/CityDepartments/Engineering/Planning
/Planning%20Documents/CurrentComprehensiveZoningBy-law.pdf

My interpretation is that unless the property is zoned as 'Rural' then
agriciltural uses are not permitted.

There may be an exception for 'pet' chckens as they are not listed in the
exotic animals bylaw'; the argument would be that keeping a chicken as a
pet is not agricultural use. So then if your pet chicken happens to lay an
egg and you choose to consume it then nobody should be able to complain.

Bottom line appears to be that if you keep and raise chickens on land not
zoned as rural, and someone complains, then the city can order you to stop.

This chicken & egg issue may be something that gets addressed in the Algoma
Food Network's desire to establish a local food charter
(http://sootoday.com/Content/News/full_story.asp?StoryNumber=41666).

Anyone interesed in local food and food security might consider geting
involved with the Algpma Food Network
(http://algomafoodnetwork.wordpress.com/)


On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 08:44:06 AM -0400, lynned <johnsto...@gmail.com>
wrote:

[Birgit Kroll]

sounds like a good idea Don...it's on the list.

Birgit