Backyard chickens survey

There are detailed land-use rules in the Official Plan for the Township of Central Frontenac about keeping livestock on your land. These regulations describe the differences between residential, commercial, and farm properties. They also describe requirements like minimum distances between farm buildings and dwellings, how far farm structures must be from property lines, what sizes farm buildings should be for specific uses, which farm structures may be exempted from maximum structure height restrictions, and which properties are suitable for keeping farm animals and which are not.

What if your property is too small and too close to the neighbours’ for you to abide by the livestock rules but you would still like to put up a little chicken house and keep a few chickens for fun, for the kids, and as a source of fresh eggs for the family. Conversely, what if you live in Sharbot Lake and your back-fence neighbour starts a little 10-hen chicken coop 50ft from your back deck, complete with stinky manure pile and loud, cranky, rooster?

Many municipalities have by-laws specifically intended to allow for back-yard hens while simultaneously ensuring that home flocks don’t cause undue nuisance to neighbours. Your input on this survey will help Township Council decide what if any regulations may be needed for back-yard chickens in the 2022 Central Frontenac Zoning By-law Review.