Deep River’s pilot program allowing people to keep backyard chickens appears to have been a success.
Council launched the pilot project in 2021, after a local couple asked it to consider allowing people to keep up to four backyard hens in residential zones.
Their request came after the town notified them their three hens were considered livestock, and a violation of the town’s zoning bylaw.
The pilot project bylaw mandated that the keeping of backyard hens would be restricted to residential zones in town, with a maximum of four hens per household.
A staff report on council’s agenda last week noted that since 2021 the town has had eight or nine applications each year and, in terms of complaints there was hardly a peep.
Just four complaints were lodged over the course of the pilot program, with two of those related to non-compliance with the bylaw.
The staff report recommended that council enact a new bylaw which would continue allowing the keeping of backyard hens, now that the pilot project has run its course…
- For the full story, pick up a copy of this week’s NRT.
The NRT website offers just a sample of what you’ll find inside each week’s issue. To get the full NRT delivered directly to your mail box or inbox each week, subscribe to our print or digital editions here.
