A unanimous vote striking down an urban hen pilot left ruffled feathers and a pledge that town council would not see the last of the Canadian Liberated Urban Chicken Klub (CLUCK) Cochrane chapter.
A unanimous vote striking down an urban hen pilot left ruffled feathers and a pledge that town council would not see the last of the Canadian Liberated Urban Chicken Klub (CLUCK) Cochrane chapter.
“We have a new council in November and I'll be back here again - I'm not going anywhere, ” said Cochrane CLUCK founder, Jennifer Walden. “I'm so disappointed. ”
Roughly 20 supporters, including children sporting yellow cardboard beaks and poster board signage at the Feb. 27 council session, joined Walden, who presented the possibility to council last fall.
The 6-0 vote (Coun. Gaynor Levisky was absent) was a decision based on presumed low interest and participation and Cochrane's wildlife corridor location.
“I have to suggest that Cochrane is more unique than just a river town … it's a great idea, but I think it's a poor idea for Cochrane, ” said Coun. Ross Watson, adding that nearby Banff and Canmore can't even put bird feeders out due to the frequency of attracting bears and that Cochrane's situation is similar, according to his research with fish and wildlife officers.
Mayor Ivan Brooker and councillors Mary Lou Eckmeier and Tara McFadden were in agreement.
“I was really on the fence about this, ” said Brooker. “I'm not certain I can support it given all the negative connotations. ”
Eckmeier questioned the viability of urban hens - given the initial investment to build a coop.
McFadden was concerned about the town expense to train bylaw officers and the mitigation measures involved to accommodate the proposed 16 hen licences.
Paul Hughes, Calgary food accessibility activist and founder of CLUCK Canada, attended the council session and was surprised by the unanimous vote and that the decision was “based on opinion and not science-based facts. ”
“It's a harsh lesson for children, ” said Hughes, who last took urban hens before Calgary in 2015 - which was also struck down.
Hughes said Cochrane council is in contravention of the Municipal Government Act (MGA), section 3A, “to provide good government ” and 5B, “A municipality has the duties that are imposed on it by this and other enactments and those that the municipality imposes on itself as a matter of policy ” - with reference to the Cochrane Sustainability Plan.
“Some communities go in front of council three or four times, ” added Hughes, praising the hard work of CLUCK Cochrane.
Town planner Nicole Tomes' presentation included an option to pass a hen pilot for a one-year period or to bring it back to council following public consultation and an open house period.
Her research included reviews of pilots or hen bylaws in several municipalities, including Okotoks, Edmonton and Red Deer, as well as hen limits (between three and eight); licence number limits (16); a mandatory coop care workshop; coop height and building restrictions.
She also confirmed that Cochrane's waste system (the coming organics waste bins) could take chicken waste.
Tomes' research indicated that there were no complaints from any jurisdictions following the implementation of urban hens - including noise, smell or increased predation.
