For the second time in three years, North Bay City Council has decided against taking the steps to permit the keeping of backyard chickens within city limits.
A vote on an amended motion during Tuesday's virtual meeting that, if passed, would have asked for a report from by-law enforcement on the practice of keeping backyard hens resulted in a 5-5 vote with support from Deputy Mayor Tanya Vrebosch and Councillors Johanne Brousseau, Scott Robertson, Marcus Tignanelli and Bill Vrebosch. The tie vote means the motion was defeated.
Two veterans of the previous council that quashed another public movement to allow keeping backyard chickens stuck to their guns when it came to the renewed interest a few years later.
Coun. Mark King said there are "a number of inherent problems," with backyard chickens, adding "the previous council dealt with it."
In discussions on the topic, detractors have cited the smell and noise associated with backyard hens, while King worried about property standards and civility among neighbours.
Coun. Chris Mayne suggested backyard chicken aficionados ought to "purchase a more rural property instead of bringing them into the more urban area."
North Bay homeowners did not buy their properties with the "expectation of chickens as neighbours," added Mayne.
The hot button issue was rekindled in recent weeks following a presentation to Council by Little Down Lane residents Jim and Emma Wilson, who have been forced to surrender their own backyard hens due to a contravention of municipal by-laws.
See also: Meet North Bay's backyard chicken outlaws
The Wilsons attempted to sell municipal officials on the successes of backyard hen pilot projects in other markets, by focusing on the nutritional benefits and educational opportunities for children, to go along with the responsibility of keeping a henhouse and caring for its inhabitants.
The presentation was met with interest from Coun. Marcus Tignanelli. He tabled a motion, seconded by Coun. Scott Robertson, using the groundwork laid by the Wilsons as a basis to gather more information.
See related story: Council to determine pecking order in backyard chicken decision
The Wilsons tell BayToday they are "saddened by the decision to turn down even a desire to understand what a backyard hen program might involve in North Bay. We believe that as a city we have missed an opportunity to be able to move closer to an understanding of what this could offer in our municipality in the years to come."
Although they are encouraged the issue received support from five members, the Wilsons had hoped "since our City Council has never taken the time to examine it through a report, as was simply requested in the motion made by Councillor Tignanelli, that on this occasion some simple groundwork could have been completed."
The Wilsons continue to support the implementation of such a program, stressing a report considering input from professionals in the field and the citizens of North Bay and examining "the carefully laid out and functioning systems that have been put into place in many other regions in our province and country," is warranted due to the repeated interest in the subject.
"There are so many facets and variables to consider as to how a backyard hen program could be implemented and it would be at the discretion of council and their professionals to be able to decide how it would ever move forward, however, we continue to stay in this 'status quo' on the issue with no ability to consider progress," add the Wilsons.
The Wilsons cited several municipalities that permit backyard chickens, in their presentation to Council two weeks ago, including Vancouver, Mattawa and, recently, Powassan. Jim Wilson also pointed to a two-year pilot project in Toronto as the practice's increasing acceptance in a variety of rural and urban settings.
Meanwhile, some municipalities have rejected the idea outright.
See related story: Sudbury Council says 'cluck no': City's backyard chicken plan fails to leave the nest
The Nipissing and Area Food Roundtable "supports bylaws that permit the raising of backyard hens (no roosters) in residential areas. We also support that the hens and eggs be for household use only and that home slaughter be prohibited."
When it came time to vote, neither the amended version nor the original Tignanelli motion received enough support.
"The chickens were given their best chance," said Tignanelli following the meeting. "The majority of Council decided it was in the best interest of the public to look no further into the matter. There will be no chickens crossing the road."
