The City of Kawartha Lakes is making 50 licences available to participate in a backyard chicken coop pilot project.
On Tuesday, the municipality announced it is accepting applications for the two-year pilot project that will allow chicken coops in residential areas (with conditions) with up to a maximum of four chickens at one time. Licences will run until December 2021.
In 2022, applications will open again for another 50 licences.
“Following direction from Council, staff have updated the CIty of Kawartha Lakes Animal By-law to permit the backyard chicken coop pilot project to proceed,” stated Aaron Sloan, the municipality’s manager of municipal law enforcement and licensing.
“This project will allow us to test backyard chicken coops in residential areas throughout the municipality over the next two years, so we can get a better sense of their viability and adjust the program as needed going forward.”
Backyard chicken coops are not permitted on all residential properties in Kawartha Lakes. A number of criteria come into play including:
- Properties less than 0.5 acres
- Property not zoned as residential
- An environmental protection area
- Conservation Authority regulated areas
- Wellhead protection area
- Surface water intake protection area
- Floodplain
The municipality encourages online education for all applicants via the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Chicken Farmers of Ontario.
To apply for a licence, visit the Backyard Chickens section under Animal Services.
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