Laurentian Hills has passed its new comprehensive zoning bylaw, including new regulations around shipping containers and backyard chickens.
But town council may go further and introduce a new backyard chicken licence bylaw.
The new zoning bylaw was drafted by county planning staff last fall.
A public meeting was held at the beginning of March, and the final draft with changes was completed April 30.
Restrictions on the use of shipping containers as “accessory buildings” were lifted in the final draft, as long as they meet minimum setbacks.
The rules about backyard chickens were also revised, with the number of chickens allowed based on lot size.
For lots up to one acre, the maximum is six chickens, up to 2.5 acres 12 chickens, and between 2.5 and five acres, 20 chickens.
Chicken coops must also follow the minimum setbacks for “accessory buildings.”
During discussion last week, Councillor Brenda Blimkie said she was “happy with where we’ve got to” on the zoning bylaw, but said she would like to see the town go further on the issue of backyard chickens and adopt a permit system like Deep River and Petawawa.
That way, she said, “we could be sure that when people want to have chickens, especially in the village, that it comes through our building inspector, and he can inspect the area and make sure that they’re going in a place where they should be going.”
“They’re following the zoning bylaw setbacks, or whatever, so that we don’t run into a problem where they’re in a place on their property they shouldn’t be, and then people are coming to us, and we really can’t do much about it”…
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