Chatham-Kent will investigate the backyard chicken issue once again.
At their meeting held on Monday night, Chatham-Kent council gave the go-ahead to have administration get public feedback and consultation on the issue of backyard chickens in residential areas of the municipality, so council can make a decision about a potential bylaw in a few months.
A report to council will also include feedback and recommendations from the local public health unit, as well as include information about how neighbouring municipalities handle the issue as far as bylaws they have in place, as well as costs they incur with bylaw enforcement.
Chatham-Kent council had turned down the urban backyard chicken issue previously in 2013 and 2020.
Currently, the Chatham-Kent bylaw municipality’s responsible animal ownership bylaw permits chickens on premises zoned agricultural, but doesn’t allow chickens in residential urban and rural areas.