Backyard Chickens in Langford – are now legal!
On February 18, 2013, the Chickens in Langford team was happy to attend one final City Council meeting to see the amended Bylaw adopted. All our hard work has paid off, and backyard chickens are now legal on less than one acre of property in Langford!
Public Hearing a success.
The latest public hearing regarding backyard hens in Langford was a success.
On Monday, January 21 Council’s agenda included a Public Hearing on backyard hens in Langford, which was met with no opposition. It was then on to the 2nd and 3rd readings which were also approved and passed.
The next and final step will be adoption of the new Bylaw on Monday February 18.
News in the Goldstream Gazette
We’ve made the news once again – this time a follow-up to the November 5 Council meeting where the first reading of the proposed Bylaw took place.
Read the article here.
Committee Resolution
A meeting of the Planning, Zoning and Affordable Housing committee on Monday, October 22 resulted in the Committee recommending that Council direct staff to prepare a bylaw to amend Zoning Bylaw No. 300.
Report from the City of Langford: Keeping of animals for domestic purposes.
The report is in.
The City of Langford Planning Department has published the following report/recommendation which will be reviewed at a meeting of the Planning, Zoning and Affordable Housing Committee on October 22, 2012.
Chickens in Langford is one step closer to seeing this bylaw amended and with any luck, by years end, backyard chickens will be legal in Langford! Fingers crossed.
Goldstream News Gazette: Langford gets in line on backyard hens
Source: http://www.goldstreamgazette.com/news/160396935.html
Karen and Werner Grundlingh received more than 500 signatures on a petition to allow all lot sizes to have backyard chickens. Langford city staff is currently rewriting the bylaw to allow Langford residents with less than one acre properties to have backyard chickens.
By Charla Huber – Goldstream News Gazette
Published: June 26, 2012 9:00 AM
Updated: June 26, 2012 10:06 AM
After knocking on hundreds of doors and collecting more than 500 signatures, Werner and Karen Grundlingh can keep their chickens in their Langford backyard.
The friendly fowl were never a problem for the couple, until one day when they received a knock at the door. It was a Langford bylaw officer informing them they were not allowed to have chickens. They were told the hens needed to be removed by July 15.
Langford only allows hens on residential properties that are more than one acre (4,046 square meters).
For those with large enough lots, the current bylaw allows one hen for every 166 square metres.
The Grundlingh’s lot size is 890 square metres and they have two hens. They have cared for hens for two years now and say they didn’t even know about the bylaw.
After getting the notice in April they knocked on hundreds of doors throughout Langford seeking support.
“Most people we talked to were surprised that you couldn’t have chickens,” said Karen Grundlingh.
On June 18, the Grundlinghs presented their case to Langford council. Many of the couple’s neighbours attended in support.
After the presentation, council passed a resolution for staff to rewrite the bylaw to allow backyard chickens on smaller lots.
“With the 100 Mile Diet, more and more people are interested in this,” said acting mayor Denise Blackwell, who has been on council since Langford incorporated two decades ago.
Blackwell told the couple the deadline has been lifted and the hens can stay while the bylaw is rewritten.
The current bylaw was written in 1967 by the Capital Regional District, which enforced regulations in the area at that time.
charla@goldstreamgazette.com
Who allows backyard chickens?
• Metchosin
• View Royal
• Esquimalt
• Oak Bay
• Saanich
• Victoria
• Highlands
CTV Interview: Which Came First, the Chickens or the By-law?
Source: http://www.ctvvancouverisland.ca/2012/06/which-came-first-the-chickens-or-the-by-law/
LANGFORD – A Langford couple petitions city council to re-write the by-law governing backyard chicken coops.
They say they make lovely pets and of course, they have an obvious benefit – fresh eggs at your whim.
But in Langford you must have at least an acre of property to raise them.
Karen and Werner Grundlingh have had chickens for two years and when they realized their backyard coop was illegal, they set out to do something about it.
Follow Stephanie Sherlock on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CTVNewsSteph
CTV News teaser video
Check out the CTV News teaser video and then watch the news tonight at 5pm!
CTV News interview
CTV has interviewed Chickens in Langford! Watch CTV news on Thursday, June 21 at 5pm!
Werner interviews with CTV News regarding request to change backyard hen bylaw in Langford.
Goldstream Gazette interviews Chickens in Langford.
A reporter from the Goldstream Gazette interviewed Chickens in Langford on Tuesday, June 19. We look forward to reading the article when it is published later this week and we’ll post it on our website and facebook pages!