GUELPH/ERAMOSA – What could have been a simple afternoon public meeting in Guelph/Eramosa veered into a philosophical debate over whether it is right for a municipality to regulate something that may provide food for a family.
That may have been beyond the purview of Guelph/Eramosa council, but it heard from residents at a Monday public meeting who wanted less regulations when the township creates a bylaw looking to allow backyard domestic poultry coops at rural residential properties that aren't farms.
Council was looking at both the official zoning bylaw and the municipal regulations but didn’t make a final decision on either at the meeting.
County planner Meagan Ferris explained the draft zoning bylaw amendment would permit backyard poultry coops in rural residential areas and some hamlets as of right outside of agriculturally-zoned properties.
Properties would need to be a minimum of one acre and there would be a limit on the number of hens, ducks, geese and turkeys one could have and on the size of the coop.
It would have a varying impact in some hamlets and rural subdivisions, Ferris said.
For example, Ellenville Crescent just north of Guelph would see 30 out of 32 lots benefit from the new regulations meanwhile the hamlet of Everton would only have 22 of 89 lots benefitting.
“We’re considering land use compatibility, considering everyone’s neighbours at the end of the day,” Ferris said. “A lot of people may have interest in this sort of use, some people may already have it, some people may have strong opinions and not appreciate domestic poultry and would have a lot of challenges and concerns with housing domestic poultry.”
Resident Chris Kumar didn’t think the proposed regulations around lot size were fair and figured they should make the minimum lot size much smaller.
“We don’t want to upset these people because this guy can get eggs for his family, a sustainable source of nutrition under the constitution we are allowed to do that, and this guy can't. That's not fair, I'm trying to feed my family,” Kumar said.
Gabriel Fernandes similarly said he didn’t feel the municipality has the authority to tell people what they can and can’t do on their property, particularly in regards to the ability to provide food for themselves.
“We’re not telling you you can’t feed your family, that’s not what this is about,” said Mayor Chris White in response, adding municipalities have authority under the municipal act and the province.
Fernandes also brought up the afternoon meeting time, which a lot of people would be unable to attend because of work.
Bill Weima agreed.
“It’s concerning that the meeting is not being held after hours, there’s a lot of people who’d like to have chickens,” Weima said.
Weima noted regulations are more relaxed in the City of Guelph, claiming a backyard half the size of council chambers can have 10 hens.
“We’re feeling so over-regulated,” said Cor Vanleeuwen who had his chickens "evicted" by bylaw recently after a neighbour complaint.
The mayor noted the irony in the conversation was the fact the township was looking to expand who can have chickens rather than restrict and clarified council was not looking to shut down public input on this issue but admitted it may have been better to hold the public meeting in the evening.
“We don’t benefit by not hearing public input on this issue, in fact it makes it worse,” White said. "You end up passing bylaws that don’t make anyone happy.”
Staff would take comments back and would bring forward the bylaw and regulations back to council with a recommendation at a later date.
