The City of Trail will ask residents for feedback before deciding whether to allow backyard hens.
Council was approached in February by a couple of residents who encouraged them to permit hens under their animal control bylaw. Council passed a motion asking staff to look into it.
Corporate officer David Moorhead said staff have been working on it since, but they think it would be a good idea to gather some community engagement, which would have two purposes.
“One would be to understand the want and/or need of the community for including this within our bylaw,” Moorhead told council last week.
“And further, if there is a want and need, we would hope to gather some information on what the community would like to see in terms of regulations in keeping backyard hens.”
Moorhead said there is no specific timeline to seek that feedback, but they expect it to happen either in the latter part of this year or early next year. He said it would probably take the form of a survey, available online and in hard copy.
Councillor Nick Cashol noted that with the next municipal election slated for October, the decision on hens will likely be up to the next council.
