Backyard chickens to go public in June

KAMLOOPS – Whether chickens should be allowed in Kamloops backyards is headed to a public hearing.

Council has agreed to a pubic hearing, but disagreed over some of the points in the drafted bylaw.

During a regular council meeting Tuesday, may 10, they debated the usefulness of a self-registering system for those who wish to own hens and $10,000 from the city’s  gaming reserve to fund preparation for the hens, including a coop specifically for chickens in case any are impounded by city bylaw officers.

The coop would have to be specifically built for chickens because it wouldn’t be humane to keep them near other impounded animals such as dogs, City bylaw enforcement manager Jon Wilson told council. He added the coop would have to meet the city’s own coop standards set out in the bylaw and be usable at night or during bad weather, which increases the cost.

If the bylaw passes hens will be allowed properties at least 370 square meters in size. Community development supervisor Jen Casorso says the average property size in Kamloops is 464 square meters, with the average in downtown Kamloops around 370 square meters. She says the law was developed through consulting with hen experts and reviewing similar bylaws in other B.C. municipalities including Saanich and the City of Vancouver.

A public hearing on the updated bylaw will be held June 14.

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