Backyard Poultry Report Goes to Council

On January 10, 2024, Staff presented a report and recommendations regarding the regulation of backyard poultry in the Township of Georgian Bluffs. With the increasing interest in sustainable practices and local food consumption, the report addresses the public feedback received and policies governing the keeping of poultry in residential areas.

The report draws insights from existing regulations in other municipalities across Ontario, and details the feedback gathered through the EngageGB survey conducted between August and November of 2023. Key findings from the survey indicate a considerable community interest in allowing backyard chickens, with preferences for minimal regulations but controls on issues such as the number of birds and sales of eggs and birds.

The report highlights considerations for potential by-laws and registry provisions, including zoning restrictions, enclosure specifications, bird limits, housing requirements, and biosecurity measures. It also discusses the exclusion of waterfowl and other bird species due to their unique requirements and potential nuisances.

At the subsequent Council meeting, Council directed staff to proceed with Option 2, as follows:

Option 2. Permit poultry in residential areas through a housekeeping amendment to the Zoning By-law. This option would require staff to craft an amendment to the Comprehensive Zoning By-law 2020-020 that would add the keeping of poultry as a permitted use in select residential zones. The By-law would contain restrictions on minimum parcel size, numbers of poultry, and other provisions relating to chicken coops and runs. The draft by-law would be circulated for comment and a statutory public meeting would be held before bringing the by-law to Council for adoption. Enforcement would be limited to the provisions contained in the by-law.

Resources:

• DEV2024-01 Backyard Poultry informational Report.pdf
• Backyard_Poultry_Survey_Responses_Report.pdf